Wrongs Darker Than Death Or Night
by Martha and Squirrel
Summary: Severus Snape's past returns to haunt him in the form of a past love. Story reposted 2008 to include more detail. Story was started a long time ago so only follows events of the first 4 Books COMPLETE!
1. Going Back

Chapter 1: Going Back

Disclaimer: Martha and Squirrel, unfortunately, do not own any of these characters (otherwise they'd be loaded!) and even the title of the story was borrowed from a Star Trek: Deep Space 9 episode!

This story was started and finished between books 4 and 5. That makes it now wildly inaccurate and the property of an alternative universe to that of the last three JK Books. I hope you can forgive us and still enjoy.

I (Martha) have fleshed out the first few Chapters a little since they were originally posted. Hope no one minds. I have also been working on that sequel we promised a thousand years ago. Squirrel and I would love to hear what you think of the story so please leave a review if you stop by to read.

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Looking up from the latest potion he was brewing, Severus Snape acknowledged the unexpected owl that flew through his small, high laboratory window. He carefully untied the letter from the owl's scaly leg and sent it on its way, grumbling about the interruption and skimmed his eyes over the neatly written words in the hand of Albus Dumbledore on the envelope: "Severus Snape, The Subterranean Laboratory, You Know Where, Lincolnshire". Sighing with annoyance, he ripped open the letter and quickly read the correspondence:

_Dear Severus,_

_Due to the unexpected departure of our Defence Against The Dark Arts teacher, Professor Leggett, on business of a personal nature, I have been forced to enlist the help of Professor Florence Findal, a well respected Auror for the Ministry of Magic..._

His initial elation at the departure of Branson Leggett, Ireland's most annoying village idiot, forgotten, Severus stopped reading. The letter carried on, but Snape's mind was frozen on two words: Florence Findal. _She was coming to Hogwarts?_

He pulled his robes around him as if pulling himself together and glanced into his simmering caldron as if seeking answers from within. _What was he going to do?_

He straightened up as another thought struck him. _What would she say? How would she react to him? _He knew he'd done horrible things, but did _she_ know? And, more importantly, _how much did she know? _He turned down the heat on the potion, knowing he was in no state to give it the attention required.

Giving Florence a promise that he would see her again in a few days, he'd left her on the platform of Hogsmeade station, never knowing what was to come by owl the next day; never to see her again… until now. He had received a letter from a fellow Slytherin the next day, he could still remember what it had said;

_She's Muggle born, you know?_

_Meet me in Hogsmeade tomorrow and I'll show you _

_something__ a hundred times better…_

That letter had damned him to the life he now found himself in 24 years ago. _What had possessed him to take heed of the letter? Why hadn't he left well enough alone? _Perhaps it was the shock of finding out she was born of Muggle parents; but that didn't excuse anything - he couldn't change the past now and he could never atone for the things he had done… especially to her.In the beginning, he'd called it curiosity and fascination. And, arrogant in the belief he could control the darkness inside, he had given in, not realising until too late what he had become…

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Yawning, Florence Findal pushed back the sheets of her bed and stretched her arms towards the ceiling. She smiled with satisfaction, secure in her future for the first time in years. She was returning to Hogwarts.

A letter had arrived by owl 3 weeks ago from Professor Dumbledore that had sealed her fate: a job offer as Defence Against The Dark Arts teacher, her speciality! Having a fascination with the subject had helped her to excel at school and encouraged her to start training as an Auror several years later. However, the first war against Voldemort had ended just a few months after she had started her training so, although she completed her course, she had decided to forgo active duty and become a professor. In a way, teaching at Hogwarts seemed like an ideal plan – she had nothing else lined up and had enough faith in her abilities to teach.

There was only one black spot on the horizon: Severus Snape. She remembered the last time she had seen him when they'd left school: he had smiled at her, kissed her and gently pressed his nose to hers. He'd promised, as his hair fell across his face, _I'll see you in a couple of days. _Stupidly, she'd walked onto the platform of Hogsmeade Station and had _actually _been happy! She hadn't seen him since.

She'd immersed herself in her auror training, after losing her family in a Death Eater attack, to get away from the horrific visions of what must have become of them. It was January in the year after Voldemort fell when she heard Severus' name again. He was on trial for crimes committed as a Death Eater but he'd been cleared on all counts. Vouched by Albus Dumbledore, he had been a Death Eater but on their side... at least at the end. What with training in the ministry, she had had access to the records of the trial and had read them. Albus Dumbledore probably had more clout that all the wizards in Britain and she knew he did nothing lightly – if he trusted someone they were worthy of it.

Her stomach lurched when she thought of Severus and she inwardly berated herself for thinking of the past. Anyway, she wouldn't be seeing him just yet: with a few ends to tie up, she wouldn't be starting on September 1st. She still had time to prepare…

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Silent and looking petrified at the thought of having to do some difficult deed, the first years advanced towards the staff table to be sorted. Severus Snape had seen twenty-one sorting ceremonies and had only participated in one: his own. You were sorted once and it decided more than just your sleeping arrangements. Your company for the next seven years was decided in just a few short moments.

Would they be brave Gryffindors with their pride and haughty ethics?

Clever, amiable Ravenclaws that seem to find the academic side of things easy?

Loyal and hardworking Hufflepuffs who never backed down?

Or would they be in his house: Power-hungry, arrogant Slytherin? Quick to accept you and defend you, Slytherin, with their prejudice and high ideals. It was his duty to keep them from making the mistakes so common to their predecessors. It was all too common that the pupils with the most difficult childhoods would find themselves in Slytherin and would begin to build a family of peers.

Each house was a mixed blessing, to be sure.

"Thank you, Professor McGonagall. Welcome to all new students..." Dumbledore twinkled as he started his yearly speech.

Severus, not really paying attention to the words that were being said having heard them so many times, scanned his eyes over the pupils sat in the Great Hall. He frowned as he saw the excitement and happiness over each and every upturned face.

"...I trust I do not need to remind the older students about using magic in the corridors and going into the dark forest..."

The frown slowly turned to a sneer when he spotted Potter and his friends, Weasley and Granger, smiling at each other in delight. He caught Potter's eye and, using his best scowl he startled him into submission. Pleased with himself, Snape turned to his left and listened as the Headmaster finished his speech.

"...there will be a new staff member teaching Defence Against The Dark Arts while Professor Leggett is away: Professor Findal. She will not be here until next week so all lessons in this subject will be postponed. I hope you will all make her feel very welcome. Now, TUCK IN!"

"How was your holiday, Severus?" The Scottish burr of Professor McGonagall drifted from the seat next to him.

"Fine" He was not in the mood for conversation; his mind was still focused on the end of Dumbledore's speech.

_Make Florence feel welcome? _Now, how in Merlin's name was he going to do that? He supposed the best plan was to avoid her at all costs: that would save awkwardness for the both of them.

His mind made up, Snape swept away from the staff table and down the length of the Slytherin table to check on his newest additions.

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Florence hadn't wanted to think about Snape, so she hadn't.

The extra time she had bought herself before term started had been spent with shopping for useful (or just frivolous!) things for her new job. A brand new sneekascope - she had always wanted a proper sized professional one ever since she had been bought a rather unreliable toy version as a child; and a selection of exotic quills and coloured inks! Not to mention, an all-new 'teacher-wardrobe'!

However prepared she had been before, once Florence found herself in the entrance hall of Hogwarts, she realised that she had no idea how she would behave with _him. _

_Treat him like I've forgotten anything had happened? _Like he'd buy that! He was too sharp - he'd see through her charade in an instant.

_Polite acknowledgement?_ This somehow seemed odd when she had once perceived them as being so close.

_Ignore him?_ Why not? He had ignored her since the day they left school and it was definitely the easiest way to go…

Thinking that she might start to panic, Florence considered turning round and going back down the stone steps and out of Hogwarts – no one would even know she had been here.

 "Professor," A familiar and serene voice brought her out of her revere and Florence realised that she had completely missed professor Dumbledore approaching her.

Forcing a smile, Florence extended her hand to take his, "Sorry, I had forgotten just what an impact Hogwarts can have." His hand was dry and warm, she felt instantly more at ease.

"I thought I would show you your Classroom and office then take you to your living quarters in time for you to settle in before dinner is served."

"Thank you." Florence floundered for something else to say. She wondered briefly if she had really thought this through.

"Leave your trunk here; I have house elves waiting to take your things to your rooms."

The bell rang before Florence could say "Thank you" again! There was a rumble from above as the castle came alive with students.

"It seems you are just in time to see Hogwarts at its most lively." Dumbledore went on, Florence was glad that at least one of them wasn't so distracted that he couldn't sustain a conversation.

They passed throngs of students on the way there and she was positive she'd seen Harry Potter. A quick mental calculation told her she was probably not imagining things and the boy should be in his seventh year. This should make for an interesting new job.

He asked her about her journey and made pleasant conversation about the weather. Florence managed to give all the appropriate responses.

They drew to a halt outside a classroom on the fourth floor, Professor Dumbledore unlocked the door with a ridiculously large key and held it open for her to enter.

The room was high and had windows looking out over the forest on two sides. The teacher's desk was at the front facing the students and behind it was a large rolling black board. On either side of the blackboard was a door. "You will find a large storage cupboard in the corner," Dumbledore pointed to the door on the far side. "And your office is through here". He stepped forward and used the same key to open the near door and stepped inside. "The fireplace in here is connected to the internal floo network." He explained, "All the teacher's offices, including mine, are on the network along with the living quarters of all the heads of house." Florence nodded, feeling sure that she had had lots of questions before arriving.

She looked round the door of her new office to find another desk, with a chair on both sides and two armchairs in front of a fireplace. The walls were lined with shelves, waiting to be filled. Florence smiled to herself thinking about bringing over her weapons collection.

"Will I get a chance to introduce myself to everyone?" Florence found her voice as she stepped into the room for the first time.

"Of course, there will be a staff meeting in the morning at 7:30, I have asked all the staff to attend, you can meet everyone then." He watched as she wandered around, familiarising herself with everything.

"What time will I be expected in the Great Hall for dinner?" Florence supposed she couldn't rely upon everything being exactly the same as in her own time at Hogwarts.

"Dinner is served at 6:30. I like to see all the staff at the top table for dinner but appreciate that it will not always be practical, I would appreciate it if you could be there at least three evenings each week.  If you can't make dinner with the students the house elves are always most accommodating of visitors to the kitchens." He smiled mistily at the thought of the kitchens and Florence grinned.

"Thank you for showing me around in person, you must be very busy on the first week of term."

"I am. But I have to confess a certain feeling of investment in the post of Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher.  The students have lacked a regular instructor in the subject for an alarming number of years." He ran a finger along the dusty surface of her office desk and then frowned at it. "There is nowhere I am more needed than here at this moment." His smile was less twinkly this time.

Florence felt the pressure of wizarding world's future on her shoulders and again wondered if she had bitten off more than she could chew. A life of lecturing, independent consultancy and the odd assignment for the ministry was hardly adequate preparation for facing thirty youngsters with raging hormones and barely controlled magical abilities. While at the same time she was feeling unnaturally uncomfortable at being in the same castle as her first lover and only man to break her heart. The pressure mounting as she got ever closer to seeing him again for the first time.

"With that in mind, I am hoping I can rely on you and the staff to provide me with some much needed guidance." She forced herself to stay with the conversation "I have never taught at this age and level before for any sustained period of time." Florence felt it best to get her fears out in the open.

Dumbledore pulled back one of the armchairs next to the empty fireplace and indicated that they should sit. "I think you will find that Minerva McGonagall, as my deputy, very receptive to any requests for assistance or coaching". He conjured a pot of tea, seemingly out of nowhere, but the room did suddenly appear a lot less dusty. Florence decided not to think on it too long. "All the staff, for that matter, are very experienced in their fields and as educators. Feel free to call on them whenever you have the need. Equally we would hope to be able to draw on your expertise."

Florence smiled and let out a small sigh. "I have no fears when it comes to my expertise." She assured him, sipping her tea.

"I am committed to creating a school of the highest calibre and this post requires significant investment. You will not lack support." He assured her. "Would you like me to sit in on some of your initial lessons? Out of sight of course." He added.

"That would be very welcome." Florence wondered if he had slipped something in her tea, she was relaxing quickly with his reassurances. "Anything I can do to get up to speed quickly, I will."

"I trust you received your time-table in good order?"

"Yes – it looks like I will be getting a baptism by fire; Seventh year Gryffindor and Slytherin first thing in the morning." She grimaced, trying to be self-deprecating.

"I will leave you to tackle that one on your own." He winked and topped up his cup from the tea pot. "Now, about the castle... Since you were here as a student, I don't think we really need to have this talk but we'll have it anyway!" Dumbledore's eyes sparkled with humour. "You probably know more about this school than most of the teachers so I'm sure you'll be fine..."

"Thank you, Professor" She smiled again.

Dumbledore took her through some of the finer points of Hogwarts running, before getting up.

"I will show you to your living quarters."He handed her the large key for her classroom and Florence followed him out of her office, through the classroom and back into the corridor.

They walked down to the third floor to a corridor she didn't remember. "A number of the staff have their rooms in this vicinity, mostly those from a Ravenclaw background." He explained. "I will take all the wards from the room so that you can set up your own security how you choose." He set about it and Florence waited. Eventually the door swung open and she could just see inside.  "Now, you have a couple of hours before supper. There is a new dessert I've been looking forward to for weeks. I've been told the House Elves have invented a new type of Fig Roll!" Florence grinned at him in spite of her nerves, bidding him farewell.

Florence stepped over the threshold into her new term-time home. It was one large living space, two comfy chairs in front of a crackling fire, a large king size bed and a study area. There looked to be just one adjoining room on the right. Closing the door behind her, she went to investigate. The door led to a small bathroom. There was a large cupboard in front of her as she came through the door and the bath ran along the back wall, a window at the far end of the room flooded it with light, just before the day began to turn to evening.

Florence turned to see that her trunk was waiting on the rug at the end of the bed. She set about putting her things away and sorting out what would need to be taken to her classroom after dinner for her first lessons the next morning. Her boot heels tapped on the dark weathered floor boards as she walked back and forth from trunk to wardrobe, resisting the temptation to put everything away by magic, knowing that she needed to keep busy.

Her things unpacked and furniture moved a little to suit her, Florence surveyed the room as she put on a kettle of water for a cup of tea. It would be time to head for the great hall once she was done. Just as the kettle started to sing, Florence noticed a tapping on her window. Rushing over to undo the clasp, her owl came tumbling in and onto the neatly made bed. Tizanne ruffled her feathers back into place and looked grumpily at her owner.

"Sorry old girl, hope you weren't out there long," Florence murmured as she untied the note from her faithful owl's patiently out-stretched leg. Tizanne flapped her wings once and came to rest on a perch next to the desk, Florence hadn't even noticed it was there – the living arrangements may not have been palatial but everything had been thought of.

The small envelope torn off revealed a card with a blackboard and an apple on the front. Inside was a note from Heather. Heather Harris had been Florence's best friend for over 30 years, they had been in the same year at Hogwarts and despite the fact that Heather now lived in Australia, they had never been out of touch. Heather was possibly more excited about Florence's new job than she was. Heather was wishing her luck for the next day and telling her not to worry about hassle from Slytherins. Florence had neglected to tell Heather about the presence of the only Slytherin that was actually bothering her.

Florence stood the card next to her bed, contact from a friend making her feel less alone. She hadn't been tied to one particular place since she had graduated as an Auror almost twenty years ago and her contract at Hogwarts felt more than a little stifling now that she was here, the term running all the way to Christmas feeling like a marathon she had neglected to train for.

After draining her tea cup, there was to be no more putting it off. Florence let Tizanne out of the window, knowing that she would remember her way to the owlery, and then let herself out into the teacher's corridor. Taking one last look back at this new sanctuary, Florence locked the door behind her, took a deep breath and headed for the stairs.

Being at Hogwarts was like riding a broomstick: It took a hell of a long time to learn but once you had you never forgot. Therefore, she found her way to the Great Hall for supper without any trouble - no trick stairs and no cheeky walls pretending to be doors - once you got used to them as a child they never fooled you as an adult. Even a couple of the paintings remembered her!

The rather childlike security of Hogwarts faded, though, as she approached the high doors to the Great hall. Surrounded by children, there was nowhere to hide. Carefully taking the two steps down into the hall, she looked up and toward the teachers' table. There was no searching to be done. Her gaze was drawn instantly to its target.

He may have had an extra twenty-four years etched into his face but he was essentially the same man. Severus Snape: sour faced and _already_ looking like he could take out the entire child populace of the room, if he were only allowed, on just the first week of term! _Why was he teaching? _He had hated the younger pupils when he was at school, so he must find them intolerable now!

Once sat down Florence realised that she couldn't remember the walk up past the house tables. The seat that remained for her was on Dumbledore's right, thankfully a good few seats along from Severus. She sat by Madam Hooch, who she remembered from school.

Hazel Hooch had been a couple of years below her, but all she knew of her was her name. Veronica Vector, on the other hand, had been an acquaintance. She certainly wouldn't have called her a friend, but they had spoken in the odd lesson that they had with each other, or late at night in the Ravenclaw Common room when they were the only ones still up, working. She shook hands with the two women and exchanged pleasantries.

She peered over at Snape and found, to her discomfort, he was staring straight at her. She quickly looked away: so much for avoiding him! She wondered briefly what he was thinking. Probably congratulating himself on evading _her_ for the past 24 years…

Why did I ever leave her? She might have been Muggle born, but there were more important things, he knew that now. She was magnificent. His original plan to avoid her was briefly forgotten as he absorbed every feature of her face. Not that he needed to – she was imprinted on his mind: a memory that would never fade. She was the reason he was sat here and not in Azkaban.

Caught looking at her, Severus swore quietly under his breath and sighed silently. She would _never_ forgive him for what she knew he'd done, let alone for what she didn't.

He forced himself to look away, down at his untouched plate, as if he'd find consolation there. He grimaced. He'd _have _to stick to the original plan… for her sake at least.

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The night before Severus had left the Great Hall with the beginnings of an almighty crick in his neck. The concerted effort not to keep glancing to his left had left him feeling like he was in danger of developing a nervous tick. He now found himself heading for the staff room, tense and irritable.

He had expected to feel awful about himself upon seeing Florence but had not considered that he might find her attractive. It had been naive of him to suppose that guilt would be the worst of his problems when confronted with the face of his salvation.

He walked into the staffroom and was surprised to find only Filbert Flitwick, Hazel Hooch and the Headmaster there. He made a beeline for the table at the back of the room, poured himself a generous cup of tea and didn't add any milk. The Headmaster was eyeing him so Severus shot him a questioning look and headed decisively to the chair that was stuffed most deeply into a corner of the dull, windowless room.

Every time the door to the staffroom swung open, Severus twitched with anticipation. He may have already seen her last night but he hadn't been expected to interact with her then.

He cursed himself for being there early; he should have tried to arrive exactly on time, cutting down on this stomach tightening tension. It would probably give him an ulcer.

Florence arrived at 7:29, dressed in striking royal blue robes. She was ambushed by several of his colleagues on her way to get a cup of tea.

She was different and Severus couldn't put a name to the emotion it gave him. Florence had always been at ease in a crowd; friendly to anyone she met, that didn't seem to have changed. She was talking easily with Flitwick and McGonagall, but she was an island. There was a solitude and strength to her that he didn't remember.

Professor Dumbledore began the meeting, making a few observations about the new student intake and then introducing his new member of staff. "If the heads of house wouldn't mind, I think this would be a good opportunity to bring Professor Findal up to speed with some of the more notable characters in your houses. Minerva, would you start us off?" He directed at Professor McGonagall.

"Thank you Albus," Minerva McGonagall sat forward a little in her chair. "Starting from the top, there are our new head boy and Girl, Hermione Granger and Neville Longbottom. Finer students you will not find. Take every opportunity to stretch Miss Granger, it is essential to differentiate the class and homework where she is concerned or she will become insufferable. I feel I should make mention of Harry Potter, he has had six very rough years, He wishes to be an Auror so I would hope he can rely on you for an Outstanding NEWT grade."

Trust McGonagall to begin with Potter and his cronies, as if none of her other precious Gryffindor could compare. Severus gulped his tea, it had cooled as he had sat there getting tense and he grimaced. 

"As for the younger pupils, I would like to make you aware of Caleb Cavel in third year, disaster and destruction does appear to follow him around. Keep him near to his friends, Maggie and Jack; they have learnt to cope with him fantastically."

Minerva sat back and sipped her own tea.

Severs watched as Florence made notes, he supposed he should decide what he was going to say before it was too late.

"Susan, please shed some light on your Hufflepuffs." The Headmaster prompted.

Susan was stood at the back of the room and edged forward, her pointed hat on top of her round face made her look like a root vegetable. "I have one or two very nervous first years, it's my most skittish bunch for years. Be aware that they will forget everything; you will have to give them instructions more than once. As for the older pupils, Edwin McLane in fifth year, lost his mother over the summer and is not finding it easy to talk about." Susan gave a small smile and stepped back.

"Filbert, I'm sure you remember Professor Findal, please fill her in on her fellow Ravenclaws."

Filbert Flitwick hopped down off his seat on the sofa, it had the effect of making him even more difficult to see. "Just one to draw your attention to – Lorelei Henderson, one of the new first years, one of her grandmothers is a veela. She will be vulnerable to her classmates and them to her, especially as they mature. Although her effect is very watered down and she does not have the temper associated with veela, she is very shy when people around her are affected." Filbert slurped at a glass of something frighteningly green before he climbed back onto the sofa.

"And Severus..." Dumbledore prompted.

Florence turned her head and looked at him expectantly.

Severus sat forward. She deserved to be as prepared as possible. "Those in my house tend to come from the most difficult backgrounds and they will try to test you. Stamp your authority quickly, but don't be unjust. If they put so much as a toe out of line, stamp on it, fast." He advised. "They will appreciate it, even if they don't show it. In first year, there is Leyton Green, his father was abusive to him and his mother until his death three years ago, Leyton is withdrawn but seems to have been befriended by one of the girls, Sarah, I would appreciate it if all staff could foster this pairing."

Severus looked around the room, more to force himself to look away from Florence's intense gaze than anything else. He saw a few nods and continued.

"In third year, there is Greg Reily, he is a bully and will torment, demean and mock his peers, he is also aware that he is an attractive young man and not afraid to use the fact to his advantage. The fourth years have been somewhat calmer, but don't be caught off guard; they all move as a pack and can be prone to vengeful acts." Severus was aware that he was giving a lot more information than his colleagues. Still, it was information she should have. "You should watch out for Draco Malfoy in seventh year, his father was expecting him to be made head boy. His failure will not have gone down well at home. His tendency for megalomania is only partially justified. He will assume that he is better than you. It may sound cruel, but I suggest you embarrass him early on." Severus knew this was important from firsthand experience. His own subservience to the boy due to his previous association with Lucious Malfoy had not got the pupil/ professor relationship off to a very manageable start.

"Thank you." Florence said to the room in general.

"Yes," Albus chipped in; his eyes lingering on Severus just long enough for the younger man to notice. "Thank you all, I trust that Professor Findal will have your ears should any issues arise."

Dumbledore continued with the meeting.

Severus had not expected the first words she directed at him to be _thank you_... he did not pay much attention to the rest of the meeting, watching Florence make notes with a modest brown quill in a thick note pad that already seemed to have at least a quarter of the pages used. She seemed well prepared. He couldn't help but remember her formidable intelligence; she had never seemed to need to work too hard at anything. She was clearly taking her teaching very seriously.

Florence supposed that she shouldn't be so surprised by Severus' obvious dedication. Her assumption that he wasn't enjoying teaching just because he looked like he could curdle milk with a look may have been somewhat hasty. After all, he was likely to need a fairly robust persona to present his students with if he were to remain in command and at all sane here day after day and year on year.

Thinking about day after day and year on year, the staff meeting had presented another surprising revelation. Of the staff, Severus and the Muggle Studies Professor were the only ones under the age of 80 with no extreme facial hair. Her confinement to Hogwarts for the foreseeable future would not be easy, especially considering the fact that if she were to hug the Muggle Studies Professor, he would probably be smothered by her breasts. Florence had always found men a little intimidated by her height of five feet and eleven inches, especially as witches more often than not seemed to be tiny.

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Standing before a class of 7th years was hard enough but Florence, knowing there were Slytherins in the group, was petrified. She had been warned against Slytherin students by the other professors but she knew their temperament from first-hand experience.

Florence had decided, since this was her first lesson of the year, to pick an easy subject, so she couldn't possibly go wrong!

She sat at her desk as the class trooped in and, as they sat down in their respective seats, she looked at their faces. Typically, most of the Slytherins had sneers on their faces, but the Gryffindors looked happy and eager to begin. Knowing that these students hadn't held a teacher for more than a year, she wondered how they had learned anything at all!

She stood up and moved to the front of the class.

"I'm Professor Findal" She said, sounding more confident than she felt. "I thought we'd start with something simple... just to get the year started." Turning around and facing the blackboard, she copied some notes from a piece of paper onto the board: 'Stupefy: A Stunning Curse'

She heard a loud yelp from behind her and spun round to see all the Slytherins looking at her innocently; she didn't trust them one bit.

"What's going on?" She demanded. She didn't get an answer but the Slytherins looked even more smug; one in particular had a large smirk on his face. He was very pale, his face and hair were almost colourless and, from the descriptions the other professors gave her, she knew he was Draco Malfoy.

"Mr Malfoy..." Draco sat up straighter and looked slightly surprised that she knew his name. "...you look like you knew what happened. Would you care to tell me?"

"Draco tripped Neville, miss! I saw him do it..."

"Thank you, Miss Granger, but I was hoping to hear it from Mr Malfoy. Well? Is this true?"

Draco shifted around in his seat a little. "You can't prove anything!"

"20 points from Slytherin!" She announced and turned around to face the blackboard again, hiding the small smile that passed over her face and missing the malevolent glare from Malfoy.

Once she had recovered, she finally started the lesson: "Stupefy, as you all probably know, is a curse that causes the victim to..."

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Authors' note: We named some of the professors before they had been named by JK Rowling. Unfortunately these names have stuck in our little alternate universe so we will be leaving them as they are. We hope no one is confused.

You can now follow FlorenceFindal on twitter

Don't forget to leave a review and let us know what you think.

Love and Hugs

Martha and Squirrel. Xx


	2. Trick Step

Chapter 2: Trick Step

Disclaimer: We own none of these people, places etc. We wouldn't have time to think of something as good as J. K. Rowling's as we spend too much time raising our eyebrows...

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_The unease in the pit of her stomach as she appeared in the dark lane should have told her something was wrong and as she neared the home of her family, the feeling was confirmed. The sight that she'd been dreading since Voldemort started gathering followers faced her. The Dark Mark hung like a triumphant flag in the sky, recounting an incident that she would never know the full story of._

_"No..." she murmured, in distress. "NO!" She repeated more forcefully as she ran towards the house and to her family, who were already dead._

_Strong arms held her back and she struggled to break free of them, to go, help her family. She could see their faces distorted in terror and she knew that she was the only one to save them, but she couldn't break free..._

Florence woke up with a violent start. Shocked by the vividness of the nightmare, she stayed sat up in bed, looking around at the growing familiarity of her living quarters at Hogwarts, she started to rock herself backwards and forwards, she knew, just as the dream had haunted her on and off since the distressing event happened, the memory of the day her family died, 20 years ago, would never leave her.

She could still see the happy expressions on each of their faces as they greeted her at the end of each day; the warm loving hugs her mother used to give, the sound advice from her father, gently given, and the teasing from her younger brother, Joe. She could cope with arguing with them all as long as she could see them again.

The ritual swaying of her body seemed to calm her slightly and she whispered soothing words to herself. The nightmare, still fresh in her mind, slowly began to fade and she gradually uncurled herself as the reality sunk back in.

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"Where's Florence this morning?" A worried frown creased the forehead of the usually unflustered Veronica Vector. "She's usually up by this time."

"She probably slept in. I'll look in on her after breakfast." Hazel Hooch nibbled on a slice of toast, her hawk-like eyes perusing the students in the Great Hall. Her gaze fixed on the Slytherin table where there seemed to be trouble in progress and with a quick "Excuse me", she strode over to the house. She was joined shortly by Severus Snape.

Severus had awakened early that morning after a restless night and had found himself heading for the Great Hall for only to find Florence was not there. He was unexpectedly deflated by this change of routine, his temper was more fierce than normal and it did not take long to make the Slytherins calm down.

Returning to the staff table, he pushed some eggs around his plate.

He was just getting up to leave as Florence made an appearance.

"Running a bit late, aren't we?" he asked acerbically, before cursing himself for forgetting not to talk to her. Angry with himself, he strode from the room.

"What's wrong with him this morning?" Florence turned to Professor Vector in confusion. After all, what was there for him to be angry with her about?

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The door to the dungeon classroom was open and Harry walked inside. He peered around cautiously, not wanting to interrupt Professor Snape and incur any of his wrath. He was surprised to see Professor Findal sitting on one of the front desks swinging her legs.

"Hello, Professor."

"Hey Harry. Here to see Professor Snape?" Harry nodded and clasped his hands behind his back to wait. He couldn't help but notice that her rather jaunty and colourful striped sweater looked strangely out of place in the dreariness of Snape's dungeon classroom.

"I seem to be letting myself in for that as well." She said with a small smile, just as Snape appeared in the doorway.

"Potter" He said it clearly, as though it was a horrible accusation. "What do you want?"

He didn't acknowledge her presence and Florence slipped off the high desk, feeling awkward and very aware of her own heart beat.

She waited until he had finished with Harry. There was an awkward silence and Florence felt herself begin to flood with adrenaline as goose bumps prickled up her arms under her sweater. He moved to sit behind his desk, eventually looking up at her and arching an eyebrow.

"I decided it was time I spoke to you." Florence supposed it was too much to hope that he might speak first. "Ignoring you was working for me but I cannot continue to teach without the aid of the Potions Master." It was the truth, you couldn't teach third years about werewolves without knowing about the latest advances in certain potions. For that you needed an expert and he just happened to be the one at hand.

"What can I do for you?" He was all business.

"I need information on the latest advances in the Wolfsbane potion. I'm starting the topic with my third years next week."

"I can provide you with the latest papers I've received. I would be happy to answer any questions you may have from reading them" He looked back down at what he was reading and made a few marks on it with a quill.

"Thank you" She turned to leave before she lost her bottle and did something embarrassing.

He got up and followed her out.

"Supper will be in a few minutes, I'll walk with you." He shut his classroom door and walked behind her. Florence drew in a deep breath, the adrenaline starting to make her tremble, she had known that being alone with him would be difficult, and had managed to avoid it for almost two months, but had had no idea she would be this uneasy.

They made their way along the corridor, past the Slytherin common room. There was the sound of rowdy voices inside and he glowered at the door. The voices died away, seemingly in response. She started up the steps, so distracted by his presence, she completely forgot about the trick step halfway up and fell. He caught her deftly round the middle, as if he'd been expecting it. Strong arms gripped her around her waist and she could feel his body pressed against her side as he supported her. He pulled her out gently, smirking at her.

Florence realised that he hadn't quite been real to her until that moment. He had just been an obstacle, something else to be worried about at Hogwarts. Now he was a man, a man that she had slept with back when he was just a boy. He was different but she couldn't decide how.

"That step always was your downfall" _Was he laughing at her?_ She couldn't help her reflex reaction to smile back.

"Thank you." She felt the chill of adrenaline be replaced by the warmth of embarrassment. They stood like that for what seemed like a very long moment; long enough for both of them to get the same sense of 'Déjà vu'. Their last night at Hogwarts, he had sneaked her back to her dormitory in the early hours of the morning and that step had caught her out then too.

Their smiles seemed to fade in the same moment. She looked away from him, her heart was thundering and she was aware that she must be very red. In an attempt to regain some composure, she cleared her throat noisily and turned to continue back up the steps. He sighed behind her and she couldn't bring herself to look back at him, not allowing herself to wonder what was going through his mind.

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Pumpkins littered the ceiling of the Great Hall, all grinning menacingly at the students coming in for the Halloween feast. Peering over the top of a particularly large piece of pumpkin pie, Florence beamed at all the house tables. In her merriment, she even found herself grinning at Snape across the table, while giggling hysterically at a joke Hagrid was telling... at least she presumed it was a joke; not just one of his stories.

Snape, slightly concerned over what Hagrid could possibly be telling her, frowned. He looked over at Dumbledore who raised his glass and nodded in acknowledgement to him. Unable to decide what to do, he settled on glowering at a set of students who shifted uncomfortably in their seats.

"Halloween is the best time of the year, don't you think, Severus?" Professor Flitwick squeaked from behind his own slice of pie. Severus only grunted in reply.

Filbert Flitwick, not one to give up easily, carried on regardless. "I'm sure you prefer Christmas, though."

"You know me so well" Snape said sarcastically and physically turned away, trying to avoid the small professor and his 'small talk'.

Florence, grinning across the table, amused herself by briefly watching him endure the discomfort of the tiny Professor's ramblings and turned back to her conversation with Hagrid, who, by this time, had had a couple too many tankards of mead. He had just finished regaling her with stories about some of the people he'd met in the pub recently.

She was looking forward to going to the Three Broomsticks again on the Hogsmeade Weekend coming up in November and, after hearing some of Hagrid's stories, it sounded like the only thing that changed about the place was its name.

Glancing back at Severus, she could see Professor Flitwick had finally given up talking to him and the top of his head could just be seen as his pie slowly disappeared. Severus, on the other hand, was distractedly arranging and rearranging his food around his plate in a controlled fashion, while he scowled at a couple of 1st year students at the Gryffindor table. They quickly stopped whatever they were doing wrong and carried on eating. Smiling slightly, she turned back to watching Severus, who was, once again, trying to escape from Professor Flitwick but, this time, by surreptitiously building a wall of mashed potato between them!

Chortling to herself, she attracted the attention of Dumbledore who smiled knowingly at her before turning back to his conversation with Madame Pomfrey about his brand new singing underpants. Poppy was blushing noticeably.

Florence supposed that old habits died hard and it was possible that being back at Hogwarts was causing her to regress somewhat. Unfortunately she had no best friend that could covertly provide her with intelligence as to whether or not he was glancing at her.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Snape finally and successfully leave the table and the Great Hall by the door behind the Staff Table.

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"Add the snake scales to the mixture..." A loud explosion interrupted Snape's lecture and his head whipped round automatically to glare menacingly at Seamus Finnegan. Recoiling considerably, Seamus looked scared to death of the reprimand he knew he'd get.

"50 points from Gryffindor..." Seamus looked down at his feet and the pile of dust that slightly resembled his second caldron of the year. "...go and work with Miss Granger! NOW!" Hermione looked rather worried at the prospect of working with Seamus on an NEWT level potion but shifted to the right to let him get closer to her ingredients. Seamus gave her a small smile that was barely visible through his soot-smudged face.

Twisting his face into a scowl, Snape surveyed the rest of the class. "I presume you're ready to resume the lesson..." he addressed them sarcastically and the Gryffindors shuffled uneasily. The Slytherins smirked nastily at their rivals discomfort.

Resting his hands on his elbows in his typical stance, he moved threatening throughout the dungeon classroom, barking out orders and hovering over each student's potion. Passing what was once Seamus' solution, he snarled "You'd better stay behind after the lesson, Finnegan, and clean this... mess... up!"

Seamus' head sank lower than it was already and Hermione rested her hand on his shoulder in a gesture of comfort. Snape, seeing this, snapped cruelly: "Do you want to stay behind too, Miss Granger? It can be arranged..."

Hermione, seeing that Snape was on a short fuse, hurriedly removed her hand and got back to preparing her brew.

Snape, returning to the front of the class, sat behind his desk and observed the pupils as they worked. The bell rang and he scowled as he witnessed the students packing away their gear and leaving the room as quickly as possible. A small movement caught his eye and he turned his head towards the door, his mouth open to bark a reprisal at whoever was standing there. He was surprised to see Florence standing there, wringing her hands nervously as the last of his class filed past her.

"Have you got a minute, Professor Snape?" She spoke, her voice not much louder than a whisper but he heard her as if she had shouted. He watched her as her eyes fixed sympathetically on Seamus who was busily clearing up the soiled floor, eager to leave.

"I suppose..." He pronounced, grudgingly and she moved towards his desk. "Get out, Finnegan!" Florence's eyes widened slightly at his rudeness but Seamus, happy to be dismissed, left the room at a jog before Snape could change his mind.

"Was that really necessary?" She asked with a chastising tone to her voice. Severus only shrugged and fixed his coal-black eyes on her, waiting for her to explain her presence.

"As you probably know, it's Hogsmeade Weekend coming up and..." She hesitated and Snape's face tightened into a glower.

"I haven't got all day you know..." He said quietly but with an unmistakable note of impatience.

Florence's hackles rose. Her voice tainted with annoyance, she continued: "Professor Dumbledore has just told me that we'll be on duty together. I was only going to ask if you had any objections but..." She just shrugged and turned to walk towards the door.

"And why would I have any objections, Professor Findal?"

"I don't know" She spoke harshly. "Just forget about it." With that, she was out of the door. Snape sat and watched the space she had occupied. If she had come all the way down here to ask him his opinion, he was obviously playing on her mind. His face cracked into an uncharacteristic grin and he started to mark the large pile of scrolls in front of him with a flourish of red ink scratches.

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A/N: You can now follow FlorenceFindal on twitter


	3. Tofees and...

Chapter 3: Toffees and...

Disclaimer: We still don't own the characters, places etc that are included in this chapter (unfortunately)…

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The first Hogsmeade weekend of term had arrived and Florence had been looking forward to this. It was the turn of the third and fourth years today. The teachers were expected to go as well to keep an eye on the children, but, of course, some of them chose to stay behind if they had marking to catch up on or something better to do. She had been walking with a crowd of fourth years who had been asking what Hogsmeade was like when she was at school.

When they arrived she realised that, although a few shops were new, Hogsmeade had not changed at all. The little thatched cottages and shops were huddled together as if to keep out the cold and the snow, just as she had remembered them. She smiled mistily, thinking about when she younger, back to better days. She had noticed Snape walking some way in front but he appeared to have dropped back and was almost beside her now. She looked over at him and, as if he knew what she was thinking, he gave her a half smile. She let her eyes stay on his a fraction of a second too long before she remembered they weren't alone – there were 120 children with them!

As they reached Hogsmeade most of the children disappeared in the direction of the shops - Honeydukes would no doubt do a roaring trade that day. Snape turned to Florence. "Where are you going first?" He inquired politely. With so many places to choose from, she didn't have a clue where to start, so she shrugged helplessly. He looked away but she was still staring at his face. Snow was already falling on his jet-black hair. Her heart fluttered. They hadn't been together in Hogsmeade for

years and there was an emotion in his inky eyes that she couldn't fathom.

A child's shout brought her out of her reverie and she watched Snape's cloak billow out behind him as he strode over to where the commotion was. She brought herself up with a start._ What was she thinking?_ She reproached herself for giving in to such flights of fancy. After all you couldn't forget 24 years in just a few seconds. When he returned she was back to normal. A business-like tone to her voice, she suggested they go to Honeydukes to check on the children. Without waiting for a reply she started walking towards the sweet shop and Snape followed her.

He watched her walk, lifting her cloak up to keep it out of the snow. It was cold. He was always cold. He wanted to be able to walk up behind her and wrap his arms around her: he knew she'd be warm and her blue cloak would be soft. He knew what it was like to want a woman, and as a Death Eater, he'd had the means to get one. But he had never wanted one woman in particular like he wanted her.

Aware of his eyes on her, Florence resisted the temptation to turn back and look at him. All things considered, she should hate him. He had thoroughly taken off her guard the week before when he had caught her on the stairs. She had wound up beaming at him all through the Halloween feast as she had matched drinks with Hagrid.

Finding herself at the door of Honeydukes, Florence walked in, out of the cold. A warm blast of air from the interior hit her, making her cheeks flush. After convincing herself the children were fine, she made her way over to the honey-coloured toffees; all the different flavours lined one of the walls. Her favourite! Feeling tempted, she decided just a small bag couldn't hurt and she contented herself for a while, deliberating over which flavour to choose.

Feeling the hairs rise on the back of her neck, she turned around to see Severus standing directly behind her, smiling slightly. "Toffee's were always your biggest weakness..."

"No, Severus. As I can remember, _you_ were my biggest weakness" She said honestly as the smile slipped from his face to be replaced by something indiscernible. "Its funny how times change..." She continued, cruelly. He turned around before she could see the look on his face and stalked off.

She felt defensive when he brought up the past, but there was no need for her to act like a bitter, frustrated shrew. Sighing to herself she forgot about the toffees, she followed him out of the shop and grabbed his cloak to pull him back.

"Severus..." She looked up with what she hoped was a look of conviction. "I'm so sorry... that was uncalled for. Its just..." She faltered, not knowing how to finish.

"I know" He muttered. She worked up the courage to look at his face, but he wasn't smirking as she had suspected. His face was neutral, not giving anything away but she knew him too well: looking directly in his eyes, she saw worry and... guilt? She moved closer but he'd blanked his eyes like his face. Shaking her head slightly, Florence was convinced she was going insane. Severus Snape... feeling guilt? Never!

He smiled slightly, one of his rare nice smiles and, irrationally, her heart beat faster, wishing that he'd just lean forward and...

"You'd better go and buy some toffees before they sell out" Severus' face settled, once again, into its impassive lines before he strode off towards a crowd of boisterous Slytherin boys.

Watching him go, Florence felt an overwhelming urge to burst into tears, but reminding herself she was too old for such things, she turned and went back into Honeydukes to pick up something that _was_ constant – toffees!

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Walking into the pub, Florence wondered how, out of all the professors at Hogwarts, she had ended up with Severus. Her only trip out of the school grounds since the first week of September and she was not relaxing! She made a beeline for the bar and, pushing through the people, found a gap to stand in. She wished she could have a real drink but supposed that would be considered grossly inappropriate while there were over a hundred pupils in her care. The barmaid was making her way along the bar, serving people slowly and making time for small talk.

Severus was now standing directly behind Florence; it almost had the feel of a protective gesture. It made her hackles rise. She didn't need protecting in a country pub full of children. Florence almost wished she was in a Muggle city bar with a sticky floor, at least the staff moved faster than a dead snail.

The wizard on her left told his companion what he wanted to drink and went to find them a table, Severus shifted slightly and put his hand on the bar next her. Felling trapped and very aware of how close he was Florence couldn't help it when her gaze dropped to Severus' hand on the bar, his white shirt just visible under his black coat. Why so many layers? His hands were clean and smooth, there was a fastidiousness about the neatly trimmed finger nails. Florence felt herself get warm as her eyes lingered on his long fingers. Idly wondering how long it had been since she had last had sex, Florence caught herself and cleared her throat in an attempt to break her revere. What would thoughts like that achieve? It would just set herself up for another fall; make herself vulnerable and open to new hurts and pain. No, she was better off leaving well alone and perhaps investing in a little mail order. She tried to focus on a large stuffed vulture behind the bar.

The door opened and more people piled into the pub. A moment later, Florence found herself in even more intimate quarters with Severus. Feeling her nipples perk up, she couldn't stand it another second.

"Look, Severus!" She gesticulated wildly as she turned round, hoping it would distract him from her flushed cheeks. "You don't have to loom behind like I'm first year about to blow your potions lab sky high. I'm perfectly capable of getting a couple of drinks by myself." She bit venomously.

Severus turned and stalked away without a word.

Florence shakily drew in a deep breath and turned back to the bar, cringing at her own rudeness. She was greeted by the open mouthed countenance of Madame Rosmerta. "Never in my life..." The bar maid muttered in shock. "I have never seen anyone tell him off."  
"Try it," Florence recommended. "You'd be surprised," she added with a wink.

Rosmerta served Florence the drinks with a wide smile.

Now that the crowd had died down and she was sitting in the nice warm pub, Florence felt more relaxed, although she still didn't quite have the confidence to look down and check whether or not her nipples were visible. She sipped her butterbeer and looked across the table at Severus. He was sat stiffly, his back straight like a board, and she briefly wondered what had happened to the fun-loving boy she used to know.

She popped a mint toffee into her mouth and sat grinning as her teeth stuck together. Severus smirked at her as she made an attempt to talk.

"Mmff mfff mf mffffff..."

"What was that?" Snape teased. She laughed and offered him a toffee. "I'm not falling into that trap!" He sneered.

"Oooh... those look nice!" A familiar voice came from behind her and Snape's crooked smile faded. Veronica Vector leaned over Florence's shoulder and grabbed a sweet. Popping it cheekily into her mouth, she pulled up a chair. "A Butterbeermmfff, Rosmertammmfff please!"

Rosmerta grinned at her as she poured the delicious nectar coloured liquid into a glass and handed it to Professor Vector.

"So, how was your morning?" She asked cheerfully, after she had devoured the toffee.

"Fine" Florence answered first. "There wasn't too much trouble" She glanced at Snape who was staring at the bottom of his glass.

Veronica, noticing the gesture, swallowed a smile. She'd known Snape and Florence from school and she remembered how inseparable they were, no matter how hard they'd tried to hide it! She fleetingly wondered what had happened to them. She shrugged her thin shoulders and confided:

"I had the most horrible morning ever! I'm sure I was put with the nastiest bunch..."

Under the cover of listening to Veronica's complaining, Snape cursed her for disturbing him and Florence just as he thought he was getting somewhere!

His eyes focused on Florence as she, unaware of the attention, gossiped with the other woman. His eyes took in her glossy brown hair, lying softly on her shoulders and he longed to touch it. He could remember the smooth thickness of the mass and how it had shielded their faces like a gleaming curtain when they had...

Scowling, he drained the last of his butterbeer, and stood up, causing the conversation to come to a halt. Both women looked up at him in surprise. His eyes fixed on Florence, noticing the glitter that her eyes had had when they were younger was missing. With an unintelligible mumble, he left the table, walking towards the men's toilets.

He shut the cubicle door firmly behind him and locked it with a clatter. _He needed to calm down! _The way his emotions were heading, he wouldn't have been surprised if he'd have grabbed her and kissed her where they sat; and he didn't care who saw! Thankful for his loose robes, for once, he concentrated on pacifying the feelings that threatened to overcome him. It wouldn't be seen as good if he'd ravaged her in the middle of a pub, especially not with 120 students and an assortment of professors looking on!

Sighing, he strode out of the bathroom and returned to the small table. Sitting down, he ignored the curious gazes of both of the woman and concentrated instead on the students that were spilling in through the pub door. He looked pointedly at his wristwatch and the childrens' faces became ashamed.

"Let them alone, Severus" Professor Vector chastised him merrily. "This is meant to be fun!" Snape scowled across the table at her, but stopped reproving the pupils to their obvious relief.

Florence grinned at his annoyance, knowing that he hated being told what to do, but, to her surprise, he backed down and ordered another drink from Rosmerta.

Her forehead wrinkled in confusion, Florence pondered on what had made him change so much since they were children. She decided that being a Death Eater would change any man. She imagined he had a lot of inner demons. She returned to sipping her drink.

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Authors note:

Sorry Squirrel, had to leave in your rather embarrassing toilet scene! It's just too much of a giggle, even if you didn't mean it the way it reads.

Martha. Xx


	4. Any Excuse

Chapter 4: Any Excuse

Disclaimer: We don't own any of these people or places. We can't really even claim to own the plot, as there isn't really one to own!

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It was a week before Christmas and the penultimate day of Florence's first term teaching at Hogwarts. She sat in the staff room, her stomach full to the brim with mince pies. The lights were dim and the atmosphere friendly. Even Severus' presence was not bothering her, as she sat marking 6th year papers about the Fidelus charm.

There was amicable chatter between Professors Hooch and McGonagall about the Quidditch Cup; Dumbledore was talking with Filbert Flitwick about the pros and cons of a new form of Banishing Charm compared with the one more traditional taught at Hogwarts. Florence let the voices wash over her, not really listening. Madam Pomfrey stopped by briefly to ask Professor Sprout about the availability of some plant or another before saying "I really must get back to the hospital wing, one of the 1st years decided to take a bit of a swim in the lake and caught a terrible chill". Dumbledore made his apologies to the diminutive Professor Flitwick ("I appear to have left some cake out in the rain!") and followed her out, pecking her on the cheek under the mistletoe by the door and making her giggle.

Florence checked her watch; it was already ten o-clock. She yawned but continued to mark. Flitwick decided to squeak his good-buys and call it a night. He stretched for the door handle and shut it quietly behind him. Minerva topped up everyone's cups with fresh coffee. "How are you enjoying your first assignment?" She asked Florence pleasantly.

"It's fantastic, the kids are really great. I've got a lot more enjoyment out of it than I thought." Florence answered honestly. She glanced up and saw Snape looking at her through narrowed eyes. She mocked his face, giving him the same look only exaggerated. Minerva chuckled.

"That's good to know, you usually find people think their first post is either very enjoyable or a real struggle. I thought I would find teaching easy, but it's the most challenging part of my life. It came as a bit of a shock."

"I think I was a bit afraid I wouldn't be able to keep control of the children, but I seem to be doing fine." Florence found talking to Minerva comfortable and had no qualms about telling her that.

"Probably best not to be too confident." Minerva said and sipped her coffee. Florence pulled another scroll out of her blue ragbag and unrolled it, impressed with the neat handwriting of Colin Creevey. Minerva stood up and said:

"Good night. Must be going, don't want to be tired tomorrow: the children will be all excited about Christmas and totally uncontrollable!" She smiled at Florence, Severus, Hazel and Suzan Sprout. Suzan and Hazel, both having outside jobs, lived apart from the main teachers quarters.

"Feel like walking over with me?" Said Suzan getting up and yawning widely.

"Why not?" Hazel sounded just as drowsy, a testament to how trying a term at Hogwarts could be. "Good night."

"Good night." They left with small waves and smiles.

There were several minutes where the only sound was the crackling of the dying fire.

"I don't know why you bother to mark scrolls before the last day of term. None of the Students would notice if you didn't bother." Severus spoke in a slow deep voice.

"Well, if I didn't mark them now, _I _would never bother. At least this way I know I'm keeping up with how my pupils are progressing." She didn't look at him, just spoke into the piece of parchment on her lap, appearing completely absorbed. He shifted in his chair and just watched her.

Florence found herself getting uncomfortable now that they were alone together. She made it seem as though she had finished the scroll, drained her coffee cup, put her quills in her ragbag and stood up to leave. She offered him a wan smile and walked over to the door, pulling it open with her free hand. She walked out but was pulled back by her sleeve.

Florence hadn't even realised Severus had stood up. He slid an arm around her waist and pulled her close to him possessively. She was too surprised to react as he bowed his head and brushed his lips over hers; the mistletoe the only excuse he needed.

Cool and gentle, the kiss sent a ripple right through her. He let her go, straightening himself.

She dropped the bag full of scrolls, reached up and taking the back of his neck pulled him back down, crushing their lips together. Severus didn't need encouraging to take her in his arms. He pressed her close to him, enjoying the warmth of her and the wash of feelings.

Florence delighted in the surrender, allowing his tongue entrance to her mouth, deepening the kiss.

He pulled her right back inside the room, kicking the door shut. It gave a satisfying slam. He pushed her up against the closed door and groaned into the kiss.

Winding her arms round his neck, Florence was in no doubt how much Severus wanted her, and she wanted him right back. Her whole body felt weak under his touch as he drew his hands up her back from her hips, sliding them into her clothes.

"Severus" she gasped; his hands were cold. He slid one hand out and swept her thick brown hair over her shoulder so he could kiss her neck, working his way up. She groaned and drew her legs up around him, willing to give herself completely. He growled in excitement, leaning into her.

And that was it. He stopped, perfectly still, holding her up against the staff room door. He slowly drew his hand out of her robes. He took a deep breath and grunted in frustration with himself. She lowered her legs in surprise and disappointment. If she had been shocked when he pulled her back into the room, it was nothing to this. What was he playing at? She stepped away from the door, but her legs were weak and she ended up sliding down the wall. Her heart was thundering and her whole body awash with heat. He was glorious. He wrenched the door open angrily and swept out, slamming it behind him.

She sat there on the floor, blinking in shock. Angry with herself for letting the lust she was feeling now fan the flames of old feelings and angry with him for dropping her as if she had suddenly turned into Mr Filch. She told herself that she could have expected it. He had proven before that he could easily walk away from her without a word.

It would have been delicious though, she mused as she pulled herself to her feet and started collecting up her things. He was everything she was supposed to hate, the ultimate in forbidden fruit, every woman's original sin. Severus was the sex equivalent of a Kebab, a real dirt-snack that left you feeling wrong and right at the same time.

What had he been thinking? There was no way he should have done that. What had he been hoping for if not exactly what had happened? Had he wanted her to tell him off, to tell him that she wanted nothing to do with him and that he should leave her alone? It would certainly make life easier; he would know where he stood. But now?

He stood staring out of one of the windows on the second floor, it had no glass and the frosty air bit at his face. He rested his hands on the ledge, in an attempt to erase the memory of her warmth.

Severus wasn't sure how long he stood there, long enough for any vestiges of arousal to have died away, but the same thought kept returning to him. He had wanted to take her right there on the floor of the staff room and she would have let him. But she didn't know anything. The full extent of the things he'd done. He couldn't keep the memories of the night he'd known he had to leave the Dark Lord's service.

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It was raining and the sound of distant thunder filled the sky. He had been tying up ends for Voldemort all day: there were memories to be wiped, tracks to be covered and information to be "collected".

But now, he was to meet up with a small group of other Death Eaters in a tavern owned by a known supporter of the Dark Lord. They had been off enjoying the perks of their status as members of the Inner Circle.

As he stepped through the tavern door, stooping slightly, he noticed the bar man drying glasses behind the bar and watched him nod curtly at him. "Upstairs" he said and continued what he was doing. Severus opened the door to the stairway and walked the narrow twisting steps into the crooked building.

He opened a door at the end of a long passageway and was met with the unmistakable smell of illegal intoxicants. Two cauldrons stood in the corner of the dank little room and there were noticeable bloodstains in the carpet. A man, who Snape recognised as Igor Karkaroff, was slumped, twitching, on the floor. He went over to him and firmly prodded him in the small of his back with his boot. Karkaroff rolled over onto his back and looked crazily up at Snape with watery bloodshot eyes. He laughed hysterically at something.

"You missed a good time tonight" he slurred and his eyes moved haphazardly, trying to fix on something. "We got three... filthy muggles... have a witch child..." He hiccuped and rolled back over getting onto his knees. Snape looked disdainfully at him.

"If you die young, you will have no one to blame but yourself" He said slowly, trying not to take too much notice of the utterly delirious Karkaroff.

"Findals... put up quite a struggle... considering... " He looked up at Snape for a reaction but got only a look of disgust. "Had quite a party here... picked up a few young muggles... I think the ones with..." he gestured lazily to one of the doors that led to an adjoining room. "The ones with Travers are still..." He started to retch uncontrollably. "...are still..." He retched again and Snape was treated to the sight of whatever Karkaroff had eaten that day being deposited down his robes. Too out of it to notice, Karkaroff slurred on, undeterred. "Well, they're still... if you feel like it, that is... I need to work up an appetite myself, first..." His eyes spun around in his head and he collapsed back on the floor.

_Findals__... have a witch child..._

Snape kicked Karkaroff hard in the back but he just moaned loudly and didn't come around. Snape took out his wand and muttered a spell to bring him out of it enough to speak.

Karkaroff spluttered, retched and added more stains to the carpet.

"You said you had three... who?" Snape demanded of the insanely euphoric man before him.

"Findals... dirty muggles..."

"Which ones? Mother? Father?"

"Yeah... mother, father..."

"And...?"

"I don't know..." Karkaroff's head lolled crazily to one side. "A young man... son. The witch wasn't there... shame." He passed out in his own vomit and Snape as good as ran from the room. And he knew where he was going...

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A/N: That last bit was a flash back!

Love and hugs

Martha & Squirrel. Xx


	5. The one with the Quidditch Match

Chapter 5

Disclaimer: We do not own any of these people or places, we just ingest ridiculous amounts of E numbers and then write about them!!

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"Have you heard?" The excited whisper disrupted the strained silence of the room. "Fred and George are playing for England!"

"Quidditch?" Hermione looked up from her cauldron in surprise.

"DUH!" Ron grinned in delight and Harry let out a muted whoop.

"Is that something you would like to share with the rest of the class, Mr Weasley?" A cold snarl suspended their excitement as the three students froze in terror.

"Well…?" All three teenagers shook their heads in dismay. "20 POINTS FROM GRYFFINDOR! GET BACK TO WORK!" The annoyed Gryffindors opened their mouth to complain at the unfairness but seeing the look on Snape's face, turned back to their cauldrons and carried on working in silence.

Snape paced around the room, growling at the pupils and pointing out their every mistake, making them tense with nerves.

His mind, however, was focused elsewhere, the incident that had happened in the staff room last night causing his bad mood. How could he have lost control like that? How could he have acted so irrationally? Still unsure of why he had actually tried to kiss her, and what he had been hoping would happen, Severus cursed himself for crossing the invisible line that had been drawn between he and Florence.

She hadn't been at breakfast that morning and he wished he knew what that meant. It had been her willingness that had shocked him most. He had probably done it out of a desire to firmly quell any scrap of hope he may have felt that there was any chance he could ever be close to her again with an action that was likely to be considered outrageously inappropriate. Severus had not been at all prepared for what actually occurred, and had been in no way equipped to deal with it, he could have withstood any amount of hostility. He had intended to turn that invisible line into a solid brick wall he could never cross. Instead, the line was more blurred than ever and he had probably hurt her again, at the very least, he had rejected her.

Frowning threateningly, he caused Neville Longbottom to become rigid with fear and drop a vile full of florescent pink Fwooper saliva. It burned a hole through the floor, but Snape, lost in his thoughts, didn't notice until the putrid smell reached his nose.

"LONGBOTTOM! HOW COULD YOU BE SO STUPID?!" In anger, Snape turned on the cowering boy, wand in hand. To Neville's palpable relief, he moved the wand down, and muttered a spell that regenerated the floor. His appeasement was short-lived though as Snape turned to the teenager:

"50 POINTS FROM GRYFFINDOR!" Neville's heart sunk to his boots "AND DETENTION FOR A WEEK"

"Professor, isn't that a little unfair? Neville was only…"

"YOU TOO, POTTER!"

Harry scowled at the unjustness of the punishment, after all he was only trying to defend his friend. "I…" but the bell rang interrupting his retort.

Snape only glared at him, almost willing him to argue, at least potter's sanctimonious pleas would have given him something else to focus on, but Harry just shrugged and left the room, lagging slightly behind the other pupils. Snape watched him go, supposing that at some point in the not so distant past, Harry must have learnt better than to answer back a second time. The glower still tarnishing his face, Severus turned to clean up the mess that remained from his most hated lesson and the last he would have with them this term.

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Florence had snuck down to the kitchens to get enough food to last all day and had spent her time in her classroom and office. She just had no idea how to react to Severus. What on earth had happened the night before? He'd seemed so… and then to just walk away? Or storm out.

She hadn't been able to get the taste of him out of her mind all day – how could she have forgotten? Pepper and almonds... and something else she had never identified. She knew that she would just infuriate herself by keep looking at him just to see if he was looking at her, and thinking of tasting every inch of that milky white skin. She had decided to stay well out of his way. He was obviously lacking in the maturity to be straight with her about what he wanted, or he was toying with her – proving he could still have whatever he wanted and walk away leaving her wanting. Florence rationalised that, either way, she shouldn't put herself in a position to be made that vulnerable.

Annoyed that he hadn't seen her all day, Severus decided to go and look for Florence. He wasn't going to go to her rooms; he only wanted to look at her. But why? It was torture. She had left him feeling touch-starved, preoccupied by the memory of her warm, soft reality of her. Now he didn't know what he wanted to happen.

Severus tried all the public places. He walked around the quidditch pitch where he knew the Ravenclaws would be practicing for their pre-Christmas match with Slytherin the following morning before the majority of the children went home. He stopped by the library and even checked the kitchens to see if she was catching up on her meals. He eventually decided to pick up a book and settle for a long stakeout in the staff room. He seated himself in the corner where he could see the whole room but wasn't directly sat by anybody else. This way he could read his book and avoid small talk.

This was horrible. It was the start of the Christmas holiday and she was sat in her room reading the latest issue of _Comparative Conjuring _and trying to stay focused on it without much success. She wanted to be in the staff room eating more mince pies than was sensible and talking with the other professors. It would be all warm and friendly in there. What was to say that Severus would be there anyway? He didn't seem the biggest social interacter of the bunch. And if he was there she would just leave when whomever she was talking to left.

Snape must have been there almost two hours when Florence came in, rag-bag in hand. He hated it! No one else had a bag, why did she need one? It wasn't as though she would have scrolls to mark tonight on the last day of term. He wanted to snatch it away from her and look inside. He had to settle for scowling at his book, aware that he was just looking for things to get annoyed about.

She hardly looked different than how she had at school. True, she looked adult and you could see there were more experiences and memories behind her eyes. She aged like a witch. She was a witch and more of a credit to the word than most.

After spending over half an hour glancing at her drink tea and eat mince pies most of the other Professors had gone. "Are you going to stay for Christmas?" He asked.

He didn't look up from his book and Florence was sure that he didn't really care."I've nothing to go home to have I?" She allowed a note of genuine sadness in her voice.

She may not have meant it as a dig at him but the words cut like a knife none the less. Severus wished he had kept quiet. Silence was easy and comfortable. What could he possibly say now? He most likely knew more about the events surrounding the death of her family than she did, and knew he could have prevented it. If he had only bothered to find out what the rest of his group were doing that night. If he'd never been with them in the first place… but with her.

"I'm sorry." When he said the words they were not just in apology for his question, but for everything. The abandonment, silence, atrocity, murder and even the night before.

"It's all right." She supposed the question had been meant as a friendly gesture.

"No…it's not." Severus stood up, closing his book purposefully. He walked slowly out and shut the door without a sound behind him.

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Snape, shaking himself out of his thoughts, surveyed the Quidditch pitch. Already, the players were out on the ground and he watched as Madam Hooch talked to the teams briefly before starting the match.

He scanned his eyes over the stands; watching as the Slytherins roared with excitement as their team scored the first 10 points against Ravenclaw. He allowed a small smirk to creep onto his face as he clapped with the other professors. Glancing at Florence, he almost laughed as he observed the scowl that settled over her features at the temporary defeat over her house.

Her face brightened considerably, though, as Ravenclaw quickly levelled the score.

It would be very easy to forget all the time that passed between them. When they were at school, the main rivalry they had had between them was through Quidditch and she was obviously still loyal to her house! Snape turned back to the game, not wanting to get caught staring, just in time to see Corcoran Finch score another 10 points for Slytherin. Sneering with satisfaction, he turned towards Florence, whose face had already reverted back to the scowl but, this time, it was directed at him. A considerable while later, her face contorted even more as Draco Malfoy caught the Golden Snitch, ending the match. All the professors stood up to clap their approval for Slytherin's success, which was almost fair, for once!

As the teachers moved from the stands, Florence risked looking directly at Severus for the first time since the start of the match. She had been aware of him looking at her and had only been brought of her revere when the crowds of students cheered or geared when a goal was scored. He was looking at her again, his smirk of satisfaction was disconcertingly reminiscent of their younger days. Feeling uncomfortable, she strode away towards the pitch to console with her team...

The weather seemed to reflect the disappointment of the Ravenclaws and the house that supported them. The rain that had started as the match was lost had decided not to be a short shower! The teachers were the last to leave the ground after herding the children out of the stands and sending them back toward the castle. Florence was soggy and sick of sniggering Slytherins. She could hear Minerva McGonagall dishing out a few reprimands.

Finally able to leave the stands, after checking they were empty, Florence made her way back to the castle that loomed ahead through the curtain of rain. The water was soaking through her hood and her hair was starting to stick uncomfortably to her head and cheeks. Snape fell into step beside her and she gave him a scowl. She was wet and it made her vicious. She knew that she had another 100 gallons of water to fall on her between there and the entrance hall, and when she did get there she would be bellowed at by Filch along with everyone else. All that coupled with the fact that she thought he had a nerve to choose her to walk back with caused her to be spiteful.

"Friendly when it's convenient for you Severus?" She spat. "Or are you just confused…? Thought I was someone else perhaps?"

"Clearly." He said sarcastically, and looked daggers at her before quickening his stride.

"Don't stalk off now!" She'd started and was in no mood to stop. "Or is that your party trick…? Make some friendly, or more than friendly, gesture and then just disappear?" She'd stopped in her tracks so she could concentrate on yelling, annoyance over being wet and uncomfortable bringing every other gripe to the surface. She continued, aware that she must look like a crazy person but not caring enough to compose herself. "I really wanted this job and was flattered to be offered it. I was not going to allow the fact that _you_ were here stop me having this." Florence paused for breath, mentally kicking herself for admiring him all wet. "And just when I think I can be around you without feeling uncomfortable or confused…" She slowed to a momentary halt.

"I know you're not a bad person Severus, you wouldn't be here if you were…" Again she lost track of where her statement was headed. "Ok, so I thought I'd spend my life with you and then I can't find you anywhere and it's like you just fell off the planet… Then I realise you were a Death Eater...

"They killed my family. You'd come back to our side, I knew that when I read the trial reports, but they killed my family. It was just months before the war ended..." The anger had dissolved into misery in seconds.

He wanted to stop her; comfort her. He wasn't the person to do it though, he was the reason she was so upset and angry, so he let her continue to ramble on.

"I…I suppose I owe you thanks… you must have done something incredibly selfless to prove you weren't on their side, and to get Dumbledore's support. I supppose a lot of people do…If it hadn't been for Harry Potter, people like you would have been the only defence we had…I just don't understand you…" Florence was crying but even she could hardly tell for the rain.

"You owe me nothing Professor Findal; believe me, least of all your thanks." This time he did stalk away.

He couldn't bear to see her so hurt and to feel so helpless. He couldn't explain things. He didn't understand why he had left, so how could he explain it to her? If only he could change things… How had he been so impressionable in his youth?

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	6. Christmas Eve!

Chapter 6:

Disclaimer: Well we don't own these characters and places and other stuff that's not ours! We've just been at the E-numbers again!!

_Authors' notes:_

_Starlight: Thanks again for the continued reviews. No she doesn't know just how involved he was. She isn't certain of the date he came back to the good side and has always presumed that it was before the night when her family was killed. We get a little lost in the plot (there's a plot??) sometimes and forget that we don't make stuff crystal clear!_

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Florence made her way to the staff room, hoping for some peace and quiet and a nice cup of tea. As she walked through the door and saw Severus though, she almost turned and went back to her rooms, where she would be safe from making any bigger a fool of herself.

Bravely, she walked straight past him and perched on the end of a high-backed chair in the corner and tapped the kettle with her wand. She wasn't going to let him spoil her break!

Snape, watching her shuffle past, was slightly amused at her obvious attempts to avoid him after the scene in the rain but, beating her at her own game, just went back to reading his book.

Florence couldn't bear the silence anymore – she had always concentrated better with background noise and she hated the fact that Snape seemed to be avoiding her. She was meant to be avoiding him, not the other way around! Inexplicably irritated, Florence got up and stiffly started making herself another cup of tea.

Fiddling with the paper on Pixies she had been perusing recently, she took a couple of covert glances at Snape, who didn't look as though he knew anyone else was in the room!

She scowled at him and turned back to the teapot.

Severus almost sniggered. He'd always been good at winding her up when they were teenagers and was pleased to know that it still worked. He cleared his throat as if to speak, which caused her to tense in expectation but he pretended to continue to read his book.

Florence, hearing Snape's cough, had expected him to begin a conversation or ask for a cup of tea or... anything but sit in silence! She picked up her Pixie paper and her newly made cup of tea and sat back down on her preferred seat, glowering in irritation.

Snape hid his smirk inside the black and gold-bound book he held. Looking at his pocket watch, he resolved that it was time to stop playing with her and get back to making some new potions.

He stood up and muttering a quick "Excuse me" exited the staff room, leaving Florence, her mouth agape, staring at the door in pure amazement.

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Ever since he was at school, Severus had always been fascinated with the art of potion making. He'd been enthralled by the fact that just a few simple ingredients could make up a deadly brew and that, by taking one wrong step; you could change the purpose of the mixture. He had decided to take up sanctuary in his lab, potion making focused the mind. The holiday had left him with far too much time on his hands and his thoughts had developed an irritating tendency to dwell on Florence. He couldn't explain how much better he felt just knowing she was in the same room.

He stood over his cauldron, stirring the contents around and peered into its depths. The thick turquoise and purple compound bubbled; almost sinisterly as if, given the chance, it would reach out and pull him in. Adding a bit of nightshade juice, he watched as the deadly ingredient sank out of sight. A mysterious smell filled the dank dungeon passageways, causing a few Slytherins who had not returned home for the holidays to sneeze.

Sneering in satisfaction, he determined that the mixture was almost ready to store and, reaching over to the desk beside him, grasped a large glass receptacle. Scooping some of the potion up with a magical ladle he'd acquired in Diagon Alley, he poured some of it into the container, sealing it up quickly.

"Severus?" A timid voice came from the direction of the door. He looked up to see Suzan Sprout standing in the doorway. She held a small bag in her right hand. "I'm not interrupting anything important am I?"

Holding back a sarcastic retort, Snape just shook his head slightly and beckoned for her to come forward.

"Oooh! Are you making a new batch of Anathema elixir? I was wondering when you would stock up" Professor Sprout moved closer to the cauldron, causing a more earthy smell to take over the room. Snape looked pointedly at the bag in her hand and Sprout blushed a little. "Sorry. I got sidetracked. I've brought up a new batch of Mandrake Root for your store"

"Ah... good" Snape murmured distractedly and fixed his ink black eyes on a point just behind the Professor's head as if calculating other needed ingredients. "I'm running out of... tragacanth" He paused and his eyes came into focus, settling on the small, plump woman in front of him.

She just nodded in acknowledgement and, a few minutes later, after discussing a few more needed herbs and ingredients, she wished him farewell and left him to his work.

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It was Tuesday 23rd of December and Florence was wrapping the only Christmas Present she had to send. After she had lost her family and Heather, her best friend when she was at school, had moved to Australia to work on experimental charms, she had only one person left that sent her a Christmas present; her aunt in Devon. The Post would take more than a day to get there so she was planning a trip to the Owlery that evening. Her aunt had got used to receiving things through owl-post and would even use an owl to send her a gift. She had written a lengthy letter to go with the present, saying that teaching was a lot of fun and she had been well accepted, despite the unexpected departure of the previous teacher.

Attaching the letter securely she put her wand in her pocket, slipped a robe around her shoulders and left her room, locking the door behind her. The Owlery was in one of Hogwarts' many towers. Florence jogged up the steps, eager to get this job done. It was cold in the tower and she just wanted to get back into the warm. Huddling beneath her thick winter robes, she searched for her owl amongst the assemblage of other birds. She spotted some familiar faces up in front and waved and smiled:

"Harry, Ron! Hi guys! What are you doing up here?" The two boys looked at each other guiltily and Florence, slapping her hand to her forehead, carried on. "Sending an owl of course, stupid me!" The boys smiled at her, glad that she hadn't figured out their plan. "Oh! There's Tizane! Excuse me."

Florence carried on walking towards her owl, a present tucked under her robes. Lifting the carefully wrapped present for her Aunt Polly, she cautiously attached it to her owl's claws. Giving Tizane a little stroke, she sent her towards Devon and her only relative.

Sighing, she walked back the way she had come, stopping briefly to have another chat with the boys about their holidays before returning to her rooms.

Severus had to go and see her. He shouldn't have left her out on the Quidditch pitch. Or taunted her earlier in the staff room for that matter, as fun as it had been!

Florence had just got back from the Owlery when there was a knock on the door to her room. Severus stood there looking sombre. They looked at each other for a while before she stepped back; "Come in." She said barely above a whisper.

Severus hesitated slightly; he had expected to be kept on the threshold. He looked around the room as he stepped inside. It was cosy and small, so full with things. Her curtains were drawn and the fire was crackling, it was like stepping into a cocoon. He had never been inside another teacher's chambers, it felt far too personal.

She walked over to her dressing table to get a tissue before sneezing three times in quick succession. Why did you never sneeze just once?He arched an eyebrow curiously at her and she glowered back.

"I'm sorry I walked away from you." Severus got straight to the purpose of his visit, not wishing to linger.

This time Florence raised an eyebrow at him. "Which time?" She said, an edge to her voice.

He had meant the day before, after the Quidditch match, but Severus thought for a moment and gave her an honest answer. "All of the times."

Florence suddenly felt a little taken aback. What was he trying to say? Florence supposed that she shouldn't be so surprised by his ability to deliver such a disarming apology. Given what she knew about his past, he obviously wasn't a person that couldn't admit when he was wrong.

The moment was diffused by another sneeze or two.

"Are you all right?" he asked evenly, no concern in the words but nothing else either.

"Fine" She sniffed, the word slightly muffled by a wodge of tissues. "I've just been a little snuffly after getting so wet yesterday."

"Have you been to see Poppy?"

"I sneezed, my limbs aren't falling off!" She felt a bit guilty for snapping. He had been nothing but nice to her since he arrived.

"Very well." He wouldn't have gone to the infirmary, so why should he expect her to have.

There were a few moments of silence and where they, once again, simply looked at each other. She still liked his hair and still had no idea why.

"Well… I said what I came to say." Severus turned to leave.

"Wait" She said, not wanting it to seem as though she had shoved his olive branch back in his face. "Will you walk down to supper with me?" He bowed his head slightly and she picked her cloak back up. He walked over to the door and opening it, strode out. She followed after him, locking the door behind them.

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Christmas Eve had finally arrived, and after supper Florence went back to her rooms and put on an old comfy brown robe after her shower and padded around with bare feet. She hung Christmas cards given to her by the students over the fireplace and put a charm on them so they wouldn't catch fire.

Every rational part of him was telling him not to go to her, but every other fibre of him wanted to be with her. It was no good to keep thinking about it, it would drive him mad. He wanted to be in her company, he didn't care if they spoke, even if they looked at each other, he just wanted to know she was there, breathing the same air.

Severus took the steps out of the dungeon two at a time, deftly missing the trick one. He strode purposefully across the entrance hall, only briefly stopping to glower at Potter and Weasley who were still lingering after supper.

He paused briefly when he got to her door, then knocked twice and heard movement within. He leant with one hand on either side of the doorframe, anticipating her opening it. There was a small clatter as the door swung open and she stood there before him.

She was dressed for bed in an unbecoming brown night dress; her toes were just poking out from underneath, it was reminiscent of an old potato sack. Her hair was damp and he could smell the soap where she was clean from the shower. Florence stepped back, indicating that he was allowed to come inside.

Having absolutely no idea what to say to her, he couldn't simply ask if he could spend the evening sat by her fire, Severus swept in and slipped his arms around her waist, pressing his mouth to hers.

He pulled back a moment and looked into her face. He wanted to give her the opportunity to throw him out if she wanted. Her eyes were closed and her cheeks slightly flushed

Florence opened her eyes, wondering why he had stopped. He was looking intently at her. She wanted him, no use denying it. There was no reason that it should go any further than a little mutually satisfying sex. She stretched up on her toes and pressed their lips together again.

He gathered her up as close to him as he could, moulding their bodies together and kicked the door shut, enjoying the relief that she hadn't wanted him to go. At least if he made love to her, he wouldn't have to explain anything. She allowed his tongue entrance to her mouth, gently massaging it back with her own. The kiss was getting hungrier. He started to let his hands move over her back as she clung to him. He started to scrunch up her robe, growling with the realisation that she was wearing nothing underneath.

Florence pulled away, "Severus?" She said rather breathlessly.

He knew it wasn't just a moan, but an enquiry. All he could manage in response was a distracted "Hmm…?"

"Did you ever take the antidote?"

The words brought back some sense of reality and he lifted his head to look at her."No."

Florence pulled his head back down till their lips were touching, not wanting to think on that too much. He enjoyed her wiling kisses for a moment then just looked at her again, "Neither did I." She muttered, their noses touching. She moved to kiss him again. They were safe with each other if not with other people. She could have stood there for hours and psychoanalysed the fact that he had been her first and the only man she had never cancelled the spell with. And he hadn't cancelled it with her either.

He started to trail kisses down her neck, holding her as close as he was able. Relishing her willing touch, delighting in the wonderful surrender of it all, letting the years drop away.

Florence unclasped his large outer robe and it fell to the floor with a satisfying flick and plop of fabric, leaving him in just his slim-fitting frock coat, far better to appreciate the tall slim length of him. She took his hands and backed onto the unmade bed, knowing it was going to happen this time and surprised by how relieved she felt. It had been a long five months of abstinence at Hogwarts and this was going to be worth the wait. There was nothing quite like the curiosity of a taboo to make a girl week in the knees and the man; sullen, unfathomable and infuriating where the boy had been mischievous, uncomplicated and charming definitely made Florence curious.

He obviously still had that mean streak, the lank hair and over-large nose that had put off her class mates. But he also remained in possession of an intoxicating air of authority, a simmering intellect and the most beautiful pale skin that had been her younger self's undoing. This time though, she knew what she was getting into and didn't want anything more.

He started to work her robe up with cool hands, which made her shiver and gasp.

"Severus." His name left her lips and he pulled her up close to him. "You're so cold" She realised.

"I'm always cold." He muttered distractedly as he ran his hands up the soft, warm skin of her legs. Merlin, she was beautiful. And he didn't deserve to be back here. He shouldn't be allowed to touch her.

Florence set about the marathon task of unbuttoning him. She was tempted to reach for her wand, but knew from experience that these things should be savoured.

Severus felt a chill of apprehension as she pushed his black over-garments off his shoulders to leave him in just his thin white shirt. If she undressed him, she would see the dark mark. But he was in too deep now – he would just have to be creative. "Flo," He murmured to her.

It took her by surprise, hearing the name only Severus had ever called her.

Within moments it was just happening.

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Stood with his back against her bathroom door, breathing unsteadily in a cold sweat, Severus' mind whirled around the images of his dream. He had to admit that since Florence had come to Hogwarts, his nightmares had returned with full force. At night he could see all of them. Every last person he had hurt. They were all her, they could all so easily have been her. They were all loved by someone. He had to leave.

What he had done was wrong. He should never have gone to her last night. Never given in to such things. Florence didn't know what he had done and he never wanted her to. There in her arms he had found sanctuary. She wanted him and it made him feel worthy of being human. He wanted her so much that he was selfish and blind to how much he would hurt her. He had to go and he had to avoid her. He would only hurt her and didn't think he could bear to do that again.

Stepping back into her room though and seeing her laid there, asleep, brought back all the inner conflict.

If he left now, he would hurt her too. Only the day before he had apologised for walking away from her over and over again, and to do that now… But to just get back into his now-cold side of the bed and lie beside her, unable to sleep, was a most unpleasant thought. He couldn't stay here, this wasn't where he belonged.

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	7. The Morning After The Night Before

Chapter 7

Disclaimer: The same as the other chapters! We don't own it, just play with it!

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Florence became aware that she was awake, and grinned into her pillow, felling for the first time in a long while that she had gone to sleep properly worn out. She made a bet with herself that Severus would be gone. Sliding her leg over to the other side of the bed, she felt only cold void and was slightly relieved.

She believed him when he told her he was sorry about leaving her, and she still did. She wanted him in the capacity they had had one another last night, not as a partner. There were far too many demons to put to bed for that.

Florence was surprised though, somehow she had expected something kinkier. Perhaps it had been naive to expect that the man would be so different from the boy.

Swinging her legs out of bed, she decided that a shower was definitely in order.

Emerging from the bathroom, rubbing her long hair with a towel, Florence was greeted by two owls. One was a tawny and she recognised it instantly as the one her aunt used. The other, however, was small and looked agitated. Hopping around very eager to have it's envelope taken and read. She couldn't help chuckling at it. She untied what was unmistakably a Christmas card and patted the excitable little fellow on the head, giving him some owl treats before he flew away at great speed, drawing suspicious glances from the tawny. Still chuckling, she ripped open the envelope:

_Dear Florence,_

_I hear you are teaching at Hogwarts, I will be visiting Harry soon and thought it would be good to catch up._

_Have a great Christmas_

_Regards_

_Sirius._

Sirius…Sirius Black. Cleared about a year ago of the murder of several Muggles, following the second defeat of Voldemort, and a very old friend. In a way she looked forward to it, and in another she couldn't think of anything worse. Snape and Black had hated each other at school. And she had a feeling that Sirius would not just be coming to visit Harry, but to keep an eye on her and Severus.

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Waiting till Christmas dinner to see Severus seemed unbearable and Florence was sure that she would get all coy and do rather too much blushing, if the first time she saw him after the events of last night was in public. She got dressed and made her way down to the dungeons. A couple of students were about, meeting those from other houses to exchange gifts or just a "Merry Christmas". Some of the ghosts were singing carols as they drifted down the stairs. She loved the way that the whole school was transformed for Christmas. Festivity seemed to radiate from the very walls.

There was no festivity in the dungeons though. She drew her cloak round tighter to protect from the cold as she went down the steps, missing the trick one this time. It was gloomy and if she hadn't been certain she wouldn't have even known it was day time, let alone Christmas Day. She sort of knew where his room was; or rather she was presuming that she knew. His study adjoined his classroom and she was guessing that his rooms adjoined his study from the opposite side, so that it was not easily locatable by the students, but within spitting distance of the Slytherin common room, if there was any trouble.

Severus looked down at the seemingly increasing pile of scrolls that had littered his desk and consigned his morning to marking them. Pulling up the sleeves of his robe to start, his eyes fell upon the dark mark on his arm.

The brand seemed to gleam the longer he looked at it, not as vivid as when Voldemort had been powerful yet still there like a permanent reminder of his evil past. He could still feel the burning pain he'd endured at its creation and winced with the memory. Looking around him, he could almost see Voldemort's old hideout surrounding him and the penetrative red eyes boring into his soul as the mark burned, eager for its presence to be acknowledged. He had wanted to hide it from Florence the night before and as far as he knew she had not seen it. The thought of her eyes fixing on it, the expression on her face… He could still see her stood outside on the Quidditch pitch, tears and rain pouring down her cheeks as she had told him that Death Eaters had killed her family. She didn't think he knew. He knew only too well. Moody, or rather Barty Crouch Jr, had been right – there are some marks that don't come off. No matter what he tried to do to make amends for the atrocities he'd committed, he still would have done them, and the mark and the nightmares would never let him forget.

A loud sneeze brought him up with a start and, taking one last look at the skull leering up at him, he focused his eyes on the door with a scowl.

Florence looked passed him into the room. He had been sat at his desk, she could tell. Large piles of scrolls, half marked, led there with the quill and vivid red ink still wet. He had told her she shouldn't bother to mark the night before term ended and yet he would mark on Christmas Day. There was no form of decoration at all, just a couple of sticks of furniture and his neatly made bed. The fireplace was empty and where the flames should be there were only cobwebs. He had not had a fire in a long time, if he ever had.

"Are you going to stand there all day, or did you come for a reason?" He looked genuinely curious.

"Sorry." She said, lost in thought. _What sort of private little hell is he making for himself down here? _"I just didn't want the first time I saw you after last night to be in public." Honesty seemed the best plan.

He supposed that she had every right to be angry and not want to shout at him at him in front of people. He readied himself. He deserved whatever she said, he shouldn't have given in and snuck out and he knew it.

"I just didn't want to get all coy and flustered at Christmas Dinner. I'm sorry if you didn't want to see me."

He certainly didn't deserve her apologies."I left, I shouldn't have."

"It's fine." She had to let him know that. "I believed you when you said you were sorry for walking away and I still do. I don't think you left this morning because of me… I think you left because of you."

How could she stand there and be so nice? And how was she right all the time? How could he have hurt this person so much, so many times? Whether or not some of them were inadvertent was irrelevant. He could have stopped each and every one of them.

"I mean… if I'm wrong, just say, we don't have to repeat it." Florence said with more confidence than she felt. What if she was wrong, what if he really was a complete bastard, or simply hadn't enjoyed it as much as he thought he might? What if he really had become just like all the Slytherins that had turned to Voldemort. He had been a Death Eater and she had let him share her bed.

"You wish to repeat it?" He smiled on the inside at her revelation. He couldn't think of anything that he wanted more. He might feel like he was harming her and could possibly hurt her so much, but he couldn't deny wanting to be with her, in her bed.

What could she say? Settling for the original plan, Florence said "Yes" in a small voice that she hadn't been aware was part of her repertoire.

He looked at those striking green eyes: they were fairly big and, if he had been prone to flights of fancy, might have imagined he could get lost in them. "Would you like to go to the kitchens and find some breakfast?" He asked, unable to deny the desire to remain in her company.

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Florence had only been at Hogwarts for Christmas once before. It was just as good as she remembered. Only twenty were there, so they all sat together for Christmas Dinner. Florence found herself beaming at all the children and giggling at the naff cracker jokes. It didn't occur to her till later that she hadn't enjoyed Christmas this much since she last spent it with her family. Being at Hogwarts was a lot like having a family: insane amounts of food, everyone, except Severus (there's always one), wearing daft hats, an odd comfortable feeling that you didn't get around just any old group of people, and, of course; a good laugh.

She was starting on her third helpings, totally lost in thought when she realised Severus was looking at her. She pretended not to notice and went on enthusiastically devouring Yorkshire puddings, carrots, turkey, sprouts, those pigs in blankets that always seem to fall off your plate and you find them under the rim when you've finished. And, of course, it wouldn't be Christmas without battling to keep the peas on your fork. She enjoyed his attention. Smiling around a sprout, she realised her own thoughts was straying. She looked at him out of the corner of her eye, watching his mouth as he chewed. She suppressed a giggle, remembering how his hair had tickled her thighs.

She was absorbed in her food, looking like she was having the time of her life. She was beautiful, hair tied loosely back off her face so it wouldn't get in her dinner. Severus' mind wandered, remembering how it felt to be completely immersed in her, the warmth and feel of her muscles contracting around him in delight. He dropped his knife with a loud clatter, drawing just about everybody's attention, the whole room falling silent. Only Professor Dumbledore had the sympathy to act like nothing out of the ordinary had occurred, continuing his debate over whether small or large sprouts had the better flavour with Filbert Flitwick.

Helping herself to another large portion of chicken, Florence grinned over at Ron Weasley who was trying to stuff a whole Yorkshire Pudding in his mouth; gravy dribbled down his chin. He tried, unsuccessfully, to mop it up with a red Christmassy napkin.

Snape gave Ron a disdainful look across the table and Ron shrank back into his chair. Florence, still looking at Ron, was concerned at his movement until she turned to Severus and saw the look on his face. Giving him a good scowl (what right did he have to spoil Ron's Christmas dinner?!), she mimicked Ron's "Yorkshire Pudding in mouth" attempt perfectly, complete with dribbling gravy. Snape winced at her in obvious disgust and carried on picking at his own food.

Ron decided that he liked Professor Findal. She was nice and funny.

By the time they had all finished their main course, dessert had already been served: Christmas cake warm from the oven with a large chunk of Wensleydale cheese on the side; Steaming puddings with dancing purple flames; just waiting to be extinguished; huge piles of golden crackers, enormous bowls of wobbly red trifle; and apple pie doused with big mounds of cream.

Florence's mouth watered at the sight and her eyes widened – they were definitely bigger than her stomach would ever be. As Dumbledore started heaping apple pie onto his large plate, she leant towards the pudding, slicing a large chunk off of the side.

Severus watched in amazement as she started devouring her dessert at great speed, eager to move onto the next item. He helped himself to a very small slice of cake and cheese, not wanting to stand out at the table; he was still angry at his plate for being made out of something so noisy. Picking at this, as he had the rest of his food, he glanced over at Florence who had already moved onto the trifle. She had a blob of cream on her nose and hadn't noticed in her haste to finish, but, even so, she still looked beautiful. He wished they were alone…

Florence, sensing his eyes upon her, looked up at him. He rubbed his nose with a long finger and, touching her own finger to her nose, felt the cream. She flushed as she fumbled for her napkin that was once on her lap. It had slipped onto the floor. Reaching under the table, she picked it up and wiped her nose, avoiding his eyes. Looking over at Dumbledore, she saw him grin at her, knowingly.

She looked back down at her plate and continued to eat her trifle, this time at a more sedate pace.

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Florence had to patrol the corridors for the two hours after Christmas Dinner.

"May I walk with you?"

"You mean you wish to terrorise children together?"

"Precisely."

"Fine by me, we could pull off a fantastic Good cop/Bad-cop routine!" Severus looked at her in confusion. "Oh… sorry, you wouldn't understand that." Florence realised "Muggle reference." She explained. He didn't look too interested so she didn't clarify any further. They strolled along in silence, but neither of them felt uncomfortable.

There were very few students out of their common rooms and those that were only appeared to be visiting the bathroom. Florence supposed that it wouldn't be worth spoiling your Christmas Day for some mischief that could wait until tomorrow. They were almost at the end of their stint when she remembered how Dumbledore had looked at her over dinner. "Severus?" He turned to her, anticipating a question; " Do you think Professor Dumbledore knows we went out together when we were at school?"

He thought of what to say for a moment "I think he knows." He said simply. Knowing full well that the Headmaster knew they

were together in school, and more besides.

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_Flashback (imagine there is some plinky plunky music):_

_Dumbledore, quietly nibbling on an egg sandwich, stroked the brightly coloured phoenix that sat on his lap. Fawkes shifted a little before rubbing his soft feathers against Dumbledore's hand._

_The heavy oak door banged open and the headmaster jumped a little before calmly picking his glasses up from the desk and rearranging them onto his nose._

_Severus Snape paced violently up and down the office carpet each step betraying the strong feelings he was struggling with._

_"Aaaahh, Severus. I was wondering when I'd see you again. Egg Sandwich?" Dumbledore picked up the china plate and offered it to the visibly disturbed man._

_Severus stopped briefly to look at Dumbledore in bewilderment before carrying on his agitated stalk to-and-fro._

_"Why don't you sit down, Severus? I don't need another trench in my carpet…" Dumbledore's eyes twinkled, the only sign on his face that he was amused. Severus reluctantly sat down on a chair in front of the desk but the relief on his legs didn't help the strain on his heart._

_"Professor Dumbledore…" Severus paused, unsure of where to start. He had focused his attentions on a method of getting here, but, now that he had arrived, he was lost for words. How could you ask someone whose kindness you had repaid with harm to trust you again? It was impossible but Severus knew that he had to try._

_"Perhaps you should start at the beginning." Dumbledore prompted, less humour in his words now. Snape obviously had something he needed to say._

_Dumbledore had every suspicion of what the man had become. While he had no proof, there was the undeniable fact he had been friends with a group of Slytherins at school that almost all had evidence pointing toward them being Voldemort's followers. Then there was his suspiciously low profile. No one who had shown that much promise in school should have disappeared into such relative obscurity, unless they wished to remain out of the limelight for a reason._

_Snape looked into the old man's face, perhaps in hope that Dumbledore could somehow read minds and he would not have to find the words to explain why he was there. Alas he was met only with the unwavering expression of curiosity._

_"Are you aware of what I am?" Snape asked, slightly unnerved by how relaxed the aged sorcerer appeared to be._

_"Perhaps you should enlighten me, Severus."_

_Snape snatched up his left sleeve and presented the ugly mark to the man that, as of that moment, had his immediate destiny at his whim. "I have been in league with Voldemort, and as far as he and the others are concerned, I still am." He said evenly, with an edge of determination. "I wish to defect." It seemed easiest not to beat around the bush. Why he should be believed, he had no idea._

_The words hung in the air for a moment._

_"As you can probably appreciate, I am most sceptical." Dumbledore began. "However, if you are truthful, I am most delighted." He spoke slowly and softly. No hint of how powerful he truly was. "I will require convincing. So will the ministry."_

_"I expected nothing less. I will tell you anything I know. I am at your mercy."_

_Dumbledore knew that if he were to contact the Ministry they would take Snape immediately to Azkaban and consider his offer at their leisure. That would not do._

_This was a risky yet golden opportunity._

_The war was not going well, Voldemort held all the cards, he knew who was on his side, a luxury that they didn't share. Anyone trusted by the ministry was a potential spy. Having spies working for them against Voldemort just didn't happen; the risk of defecting was just too high. If Snape was serious, he would have to work with Dumbledore alone, it was the only way this could work. He would have to deal with the Ministry at a later date. Right now, he had to determine whether this offer was genuine. If it were, it had a motive, likely a good one. Dumbledore very much doubted that a Death Eater could simply wake up one morning and see the error of his ways._

_"Would you consent to taking a truth potion? You must understand my need for caution, there are those who would attempt to infiltrate us with promises such as yours."_

_"I will."_

_Snape realised he would tell him anything. His mind had not felt this clear for almost seven years. He had realised all at once what he had become. He never thought it would go so far when it started, he had been fascinated by the things he was able to do with the dark magic, never thinking of it's consequences. Incredibly soon he was living for it, forgetting his old life and starting a new one, doing things that he never thought himself capable of. The new life belonged to Voldemort. It was about time he clamed it back, no matter what the price._

_That night Snape told everything, sparing no detail of things he had done, what others had done.__ He incriminated a lot of other Death Eaters, unable to stop the torrent of information from spilling out of him due to the Veritaserum. He would have told Dumbledore anyway, but the potion made it easier. Snape didn't have to put the memories into words, or worry about leaving something out because you had answered the questions before you even consciously recalled the facts._

_And then there were his reasons. "Why are you here Severus? Why tonight?" This question wasn't because of a need for intelligence, but as a way to gage whether Snape was serious about defecting. There were ways around Veritaserum, and elaborate lies could be woven, but a jolly good reason was something you couldn't make up._

_"Florence Findal."__ It was a simple enough statement, with a perfectly clear meaning, at least in the mind of Severus Snape._

_Dumbledore remembered her from her school days, a good friend of James Potter and Sirius Black if he was not mistaken, and had appeared close to Snape then._

_"Elaborate"_

_"Her family was murdered tonight by the rest of my cell." His face twisted and Dumbledore saw real raw emotion in the eyes of this man for the first time since he had swallowed the Veritaserum. "I could have prevented it, but I did not bother to check what they were doing."_

_His knuckles were so white on the arms of his chair that Dumbledore wondered if were able to feel anything at all, he was gripping them so tightly._

_"If she had been there they would have killed her too." Snape was slowing down and Dumbledore knew that the potion had almost worn off. It made no difference though. "It would not have been quick." He appeared to loose himself in thought, his eyes focusing on the burning embers in the grate. He swayed back and forth in his chair a little._

_There was a long silences and Dumbledore did nothing to fill it. Rain was beating on the windows, warm summer rain. Most of the previous Hogwarts Headmasters were still awake in their paintings, too captivated by the events to sleep, although some did wear long pointed bed hats with bobbles on the end and striped pyjamas. Neither of the living men had noticed though._

_"They were all real weren't they?" Again Dumbledore just let him speak without prompting. "Everyone I hurt, murdered, tortured… They weren't just muggles, or someone too weak to seek power." He said the words like he had really believed them once. "They were real people, with friends and families, and lives of their own. People loved them. I never thought about it. I enjoyed it."_

_"You were close in school?"_

_"More than."__ He looked up at Dumbledore and looked genuinely confused. "I have no idea what happened to make it all go wrong."_

_There was a pregnant pause as Snape just stared at his feet. Dumbledore waited patiently for him to continue._

_"It was all my fault; nothing to do with her." He rubbed a hand across his tired face and sighed. "It's all over now." He stared at his hands as if seeing them for the first time. "I gave her up for all that."_

_Dumbledore stood up and walked round to Severus' chair, he needed to know no more. "OK, Severus. If I do place my trust in you, and you betray me, then I won't be responsible for what the Ministry of Magic does to you!"_

_Severus nodded, accepting his fate. Looking up into Dumbledore's face, he saw how serious he actually was, but was thankful that he had trusted him, despite what evil he had done before._

_"I must ask you to return to Voldemort, though, and he must not know you've been here tonight. You know that you are putting yourself in grave danger by doing this but its an opportunity to do something right that is too good to miss."_

_Snape nodded again and rose from his chair. With a muttered "thank you" he strode from the room, out of the castle into the twilight, and back to Voldemort._

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Florence looked up from her book as the staff room door opened. Professor Flitwick gave her a little wave as he stumbled in after a few too many Sherries. Professor Sinistra followed him in, laughing as he tripped over the rug that sat in front of the door.

"Oh! Hello, Florence my dear!" He squeaked and hiccuped. Florence grinned down at the little man, in spite of herself. He jumped up onto the chair next to her. "What are you reading? Anything good?"

"Just a bit on Harpies. I'm going to be teaching them to the third years after the holidays and I thought I should be reading up on the subject."

"Tut tut! Working at Christmas! Stop reading and come and have a drink with me!" He said in a warbling voice, hiccuping after every other word.

"No thanks, Filbert, I'm ok. I'm enjoying it! Really!" A snort punctuated the end of her speech and Filbert fell off the chair in surprise. Severus was standing at the door, scowling at the merry group. He moved past them, narrowly missing Flitwick, as he lay on the floor, too drunk to move.

_Christmas makes _everyone _crazy!_ Snape thought to himself and swallowed a smirk.

Sinistra began chatting to Florence, while absent-mindedly prodding Flitwick with the fire poker. He stirred a little and then went back to sleep.

"Isn't Filbert meant to be on duty?" The thought just struck Florence and she looked enquiringly at Helen Sinistra.

Helen just shrugged. "I don't know. I'm not on duty until later with Hazel."

Suzan Sprout came in. "Has anyone seen Filbert. I was wondering if he could do duty on his own, the mandrakes are playing up; trying to get in each other's pots!" Florence pointed at the floor. "Oh!" She said peering at the snoring little man on the hearthrug.

Florence stood up. "Don't worry about it. You go back to the Mandrakes; I'll take care of it."

"Thanks Florence, you're a star!" Suzan said and bustled out.

Florence got up and straightening her robes, followed her out of the room. As she walked down the corridor Snape fell into step beside her. She looked sceptically at him.

"I'll accompany you. I'll take my chances with the children: it's better than that bunch of oddballs."

"You're not exactly Mr Average yourself, Severus!" She replied, giggling a little at the look on his face.

"At least I don't get drunk and fall asleep on the hearth rug! Or prod small men with a fire poker, for that matter!"

Florence laughed. "I don't have a clue what you get up to in your spare time, so I couldn't possibly comment!" Snape glared at her a little before giving in and smirking.

"Oh, I think you do!" He raised one eyebrow suggestively and she blushed. 10 points were swiftly removed from a small Hufflepuff 3rd year for loitering.

After Severus was suitably chastised by Florence for his abruptness, they carried on down the corridor. They came across a couple of students who were kissing behind a pillar and Snape snarled at them:

"Mansfield! Bosworth! What do you think you're doing?! 20 points from Gryffindor!" The two lovebirds scurried off and Florence turned to Snape. She rested her hand on his arm.

"Why were you so harsh, Severus? Don't you remember us at school?"

"Only too well. I just didn't think they would appreciate it if we joined them!" He grabbed her robe sleeve and dragged her behind the pillar.

"Severus! What are you doing?!"

"What does it look like?" He whispered before he swooped down, touching his lips to hers. She reached up, wrapping her arms around his neck and holding him close.

He ran his hands through her hair and tugged a little, pulling her head back so he could look at her face. Her eyes were shut and her mouth looked swollen from the kiss.

"Florence. Open your eyes." Her eyes fluttered slightly and opened, revealing their green depths.

"Severus?" She looked at him in confusion. "Why did you…?" Hearing the footsteps that echoed up the corridor, she understood his action. _What if someone had seen them?_

She stepped back, out of his arms and rearranged her clothing that had been clenched in his hands.

Severus looked down at her as she smoothed out the creases and wondered at the fact that she could make him lose control in an instant. There had been no one else that made him feel this way and he had a feeling that there never would be.

"…England has just signed Terence Higgs! Fred and George told me. It could be him!"

"Maybe. Hey, wasn't he here when we were in first year?"

"Yeah! He was the Slytherin seeker! Remember, Harry?"

"Of course… Maybe we should check it out."

Harry and Ron rushed on past the two professors, heading towards their common room.

"If I didn't know any better, I'd say those two were up to something" Florence declared, peering out from behind the pillar.

"They're always up to something!" Snape led her out from their hiding place. "I wonder what it could be this time…"

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Severus drummed his fingers impatiently on the desk. _What could they possibly be up to? _Slightly irritated that Potter and his band of miscreants were on their way to saving the world again (they _were_ usually right!). He decided to do a bit of investigating of his own.

He'd leafed through some old copies of the Daily Prophet for articles about Quidditch, owled a few contacts in the area, but he still came up with the same thing: absolutely nothing!

He had no idea about what happened to Higgs after school – he'd just disappeared. But Severus had done the same thing and had been in league with Voldemort, so maybe that's what the boys were concerned about. But what was the significance of him joining the England Quidditch team? Surely that wouldn't matter in the great scheme of things.

There was a World Cup coming up the following summer; was something going to happen? The last world cup had been the start of a whole chain of events culminating in the rise of Voldemort. He had no desire to think about it. He had been somewhere at the top of the hit list and it was a miracle he hadn't been killed.

Snape leafed through a few more Daily Prophets, trying to find out which country was hosting it this year.

It turned out that Australia were hosting for the first time. A wizarding community had only got properly established over there in the last twenty years or so and they wanted to show off their new totally muggle-impervious Quidditch stadium.

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Florence was flitting about in her rooms. She had admitted to wanting to repeat the events of last night and yet she had no idea if he would turn up at her door again or be offended if she didn't arrive at his. She didn't want to wait up all night, nor did she want to go to bed and get woken up looking like hell with sleepy eyes and crazy bed hair, after an hour.

She had spent much more of the day with Severus than she had intended. In truth, she had not expected to spend any of it together after her brief visit to the dungeons that morning. She wondered at how wise it had been.

It was cold and big snow clouds were gathering in the distance behind the forest, Florence made up the fire. She decided to have a cup of tea and go to bed. What was the point in getting all worked up and annoyed?

She was just attempting to get her bedding into some semblance of order when there was a knock on the door. She padded over to the door. Severus stood there looking intense. He didn't say anything and she didn't know what to say. The bizarre nature of the situation seemed to strike her. What were they doing? She should hate this man. In a way she supposed that she did. He'd hurt her a great deal and he stood for things that she had fought tooth and nail against. People like him had taken away her family and left her with next to no one.

She turned away from the door and walked back into her room, towards the fire. He could no doubt find his own way in, he hadn't waited for an invitation the night before. She felt odd. She wanted him to be there, she had enjoyed the sex, and wasn't about to kid herself into believing that she hadn't. That was all it was, and as long as it stayed that way, it was fine. She turned round to see if he'd made his way in and jumped when he was stood right behind her.

"How do you do that?"

"Do what?" He asked.

"Sneak up… I didn't even hear you come in, let alone shut the door and walk over to me."

He looked curiously at her. "I thought you were a trained auror."

She was taken aback by the remark. "What are you saying?"

_Good question_ he thought. "I'm just surprised that I surprise you." She raised a sceptical eyebrow and felt just a little bit angry.

He looked at her stood there, the fire making her look almost as if she glowed. Her feet were bare and he had never seen anyone that could make an old brown bed robe look so attractive. He had no idea what he was doing. He was just following his instincts, not really thinking for one minute that it was the right thing to be doing, but going ahead all the same. Before she could make another remark or duck away, he put one hand on her waist and, cupping the back of her head with the other, he kissed her. It was light and gentle, lips barely touching. Mouths open, but still next to no pressure, he could tell that she was trying to stand on tiptoes to get closer.

Even though there was so little contact, her whole body was thrumming in response to him. She ran her hands up his chest, over his shoulders and round to the back of his neck, so she could pull him down to her better. The moment she succeeded in locking their lips together the kiss became more forceful and frantic. He started to scrabble her robe up and gather her legs round him. She was completely swept away. No one got her going like he did.

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The first time, on the night before they left Hogwarts, they had fallen asleep tangled up in each other's arms afterwards. The second, the night before on Christmas Eve, he had slid off her, turned away and she had been glad, almost relieved. After all you could have sex with anyone you found attractive, but with whom you could sleep all tangled up, was a totally different kettle of fish. That had been in a completely different life.

Tonight however, he didn't turn away from her. He kept an arm around her, and fell asleep with his face in her hair. Florence lay there and stared at the stone ceiling for a while before dropping off herself.

Florence woke up an hour or so later, his arm was still draped over her. The only light was that from the remains of the fire and it threw his features into harsh relief. She turned her face to his so she could look at him better as he slept. He appeared troubled and vulnerable but she couldn't help admiring him. He looked more like a sculptor had carved him than he was born of human parents. She couldn't place what made him attractive; he was sallow and hook nosed but… She touched the greasy strands of jet-black hair and let them fall through her fingers.

She took the hand that was cradling her side. He had lovely hands. She looked down, turning it over to inspect his palm. It wasn't his palm that she noticed though. On the pale flesh of his inner forearm lay something she hadn't seen for a very long time. Florence went cold all over, her insides turning to ice. She had known it was there, of course, but the reality of the dark mark was something else. She scrambled out of bed and pulled her robe back on, going in the bathroom and locking herself in.

_What am I doing? _That question seemed to be becoming increasingly frequent. _He tramples on you, takes your heart, virginity, and confidence and breaks them. How long did it take to pull yourself together? And then the minute you see him again you queue up for some more! _Some wise ass in her brain started having a go. _You're a raging masochist! That's what you are. People just like him murdered your family! He murdered people's families! What kind of twisted person wants that in their bed? _A wave of nausea swept over her and she had to pace the small room to stop seeing her Christmas Dinner in reverse.

She sat down on the edge of the bath. _Can't hide out in the bathroom all night!_ Same wise ass again. _No, but I can shower._ That would have to do.

Florence wasn't sure how long she stood and let the warm water beet down on her as she leant against the wall lost in thought.

When she emerged from the bathroom, he was gone.

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	8. Old Friends and New Promises

Chapter 8: Old Friends and New Promises

Disclaimer: These characters and places do not belong to us. We just make up silly stories about em with lame titles!! It all really belongs to JK Rowling.

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It had snowed and Hogwarts looked like a big marshmallow castle out of a fairy story. The children that had stayed for Christmas thought this was great and snowball fights were becoming the activity of choice.

After Christmas Day, Florence and Severus both seemed to act like nothing had happened. They hardly spoke, so not much change there. There were two nights with no knock on her door and she just felt nauseous when she thought of going to him.

It was Sunday and Florence was writing a letter to Heather in Australia because she felt horribly lonely, her lack of family and close friends feeling all of a sudden very upsetting. A knock on the door interrupted her mid-sentence. She got up and walked to the door, hand pausing over the handle, but tugging it open with a sigh.

She was surprised to see a very haggard Sirius Black standing at her door, one arm resting against the doorframe. He grinned widely; the same old smile that used to drive the girls crazy at school. She grinned back and he pulled her into his arms for a hug. Her spirits rose immediately.

"Come in, I'll make some tea. Would you like something to eat?"

"No thanks. I just had supper with Harry and Albus, but tea sounds great!"

She led him over to the two armchairs in the corner of her room by the fire and indicated he should sit down. Florence was very glad that she had bothered to make her bed and clear up all the clothes she had lying around. He sat down with a groan and stretched out his long legs, being careful not to kick anything, while she started to make cups of tea.

"How are you?" He asked, obviously interested in what had happened since the last time they had met.

"Fine!" She beamed, "I should be asking you that, really."

"Oh, I'm OK. Glad that it's all over at last." He sighed and leaned back into the chair. "This last year has been so good. I'd been out of society so long that I'd almost forgotten what it was all about."

"I can't imagine what you must have gone through." She handed him a cup of strong, steaming tea. "I mean to have been in Azkaban… I just can't envisage getting out of there, I don't think I'd last a day let alone twelve years." She threw another log on the fire and sat down opposite him. "And to be on the run for so long, I mean, when I went abroad to lecture as little as twelve months ago, the Ministry had me secretly briefed to bring you in if it turned out you nearby."

"They even had lecturers looking for me?" A puzzled frown creased his brow.

"I'm trained as an auror, Sirius." Florence smiled slightly at the look of surprise that crossed his face.

"I didn't know that." He said, again realising what a huge chunk of time he had missed out on. "When did you train?"

"I qualified about eighteen months after the war ended." Florence told him, sipping her tea cautiously.

"You must have started training just months after…" He trailed off and looked at her in concern.

"It's OK, Sirius."

"I'm sorry." He touched her arm in a gesture of comfort.

"Really, it's fine. I suppose I should be sorry too, I thought you were guilty. If I'd have seen you on my travels I wouldn't have hesitated to bring you straight back to the ministry and whatever fate they had waiting for you."

"It's OK, even Remus thought I did it for a long time… no one can be blamed for believing it. It looked plausible enough" He shrugged his broad shoulders and grimaced with the memory.

"I was crushed when I heard. I was so angry and looking for someone to blame that it seemed more plausible than perhaps it should. I kept telling myself that I should have known; I mean, you found me so quickly on the night my… I mean, it was like you knew."

"It was everywhere, Florence. It doesn't take long for someone to notice the mark and the entire magical community went into panic for the third night running." He looked older than he was and she felt guilty for thinking him capable of going over to Voldemort. She had hated him though, for years. In the space of a few months she had lost almost everyone. Her family, then Sirius was taken to Azkaban for being in league with Voldemort, Heather went to Australia and her worst fears about Severus were confirmed.

"I'm just so glad it wasn't true." She sighed. There was another knock on the door. "Now… you are going to love this!" She said sarcastically getting up with a mischievous smile.

"What?" Sirius said and gave her a curious look, peering around the side of his wing-back chair.

She opened the door. Severus stood there and she watched as the different expressions crossed his face. He went from mildly anxious and unsure to confused then quickly on to anger and eventually hatred.

"Would you like to come in for tea?" Florence asked sweetly.

"I'll pass, thank you. I'll see you another time." He turned around abruptly and swept down the corridor, his cloak whipping out behind him. She was completely unable to suppress an amused smile as she closed the door.

"Has he given you any trouble?" Sirius said seriously, a grave expression on his tired face.

"Well, he crumbled my heart into dust twenty-four years ago, but since then, no. He has been no trouble." She sat back down, still inexplicably amused.

Sirius smiled slightly at her unique sense of humour. "Are you sure? He looked kind of..."

"Yes, Sirius. I'm sure. There's nothing for you to worry about." Florence crossed her fingers behind her back. After all, she didn't want another experience like the one 24 years ago, when he had first found out about her and Severus. They might be grown up now, but the rivalry was obviously still there. "Didn't you two have to work together? You were instrumental in the Voldemort's second defeat."

"Yes. We worked together." Sirius almost looked pained at the admission.

"And you still hate each other?"

"Yes!"

Sinking back into her seat, she tucked her feet up under her and cupped her tea with both hands. Sirius, looking at her, realised she hadn't changed much since they were children. The twinkle in her green eyes had faded slightly, but it was still there; and she still had the long chestnut hair that he remembered. In truth, he was very glad to see her looking well. He had been worried about her after the death of her family and, when he'd been taken to Azkaban, he was sure that must have been devastating for her.

He also didn't believe a word she said about her and Severus. It was obvious in her eyes that she still felt something for him and it was also obvious that Severus was still up to no good where she was concerned. Seeing the sadness in her eyes, and the slight droop to her lips that she was trying so hard to disguise, he felt himself clench his fists. If Severus ever hurt her again, he'd...

"Sirius, are you alright?" Florence's question interrupted his vengeful thoughts. She was looking at him in concern.

He smiled and nodded; he relaxed his muscles again and leaned back into the chair. He sipped his tea, although it was already going cold, and stretched his legs again.

"How long are you going to be staying? And how's Harry?" She smiled, seeing his face lighten a little at the mention of his godson. "And have you seen Remus lately?"

"I'll be staying for about a week, thought it would be nice to see the New Year in here!" Sirius began an in depth update on the people she had mentioned and, listening carefully, she absorbed, not only his conversation, but also his haggard features. He looked as if he hadn't slept in weeks. Although he looked much better than he had in the newspapers, his face was still drawn. But then, after being in Azkaban, how could you ever close your eyes without seeing the nightmares. Florence shuddered with sympathy for him and Sirius, seeing the movement, added another log to the fire. He was obviously still in tune with her feelings as he had been when they were younger. Watching him talk, she could see the atrocities burning behind his eyes, not forgotten.

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Later that evening, after Sirius had left, she cried into her bedclothes, mourning for the cheerful, devil-may-care boy she used to know. She still remembered him back then, doing all sorts of antics to make her go out with him, while she had fallen in love with Severus.

_Why couldn't she have fallen for Sirius?_ Everything might've been different then. An image passed through her mind of her family surrounding her as she and Sirius got married. She smiled slightly at the thought but knew that even if she could change the past, it would never have happened. She would have given Severus the chance to leave her.

A knock sounded at the door. Florence paused at the mirror on her way to the door and groaned. With her eyes all red, her hair all mussed up and wearing her sack-like brown bedrobe, she didn't look suitable to entertain anyone. She opened the door a crack and peered through the gap. Severus stood there, a scowl on his face as he stared down at her.

"Are you going to let me in?" He asked, snidely. "Or do you still have visitors?" He looked down at her, pausing pointedly at her scantily clad body.

Florence gasped at the rudeness of the statement and, Severus, taking advantage of her shock, pushed past her and walked into her room.

Looking around, he determined that Sirius had already left and sat down on one of the fireside armchairs.

"That's right. Make yourself comfortable!" She called indignantly after him, closing the door.

"Don't worry; I will." He replied and turned back to the fire.

"Well, stay as long as you want. I'm going to bed." And, not bluffing, she climbed between the sheets and huddled up into a ball.

Severus carried on sitting beside the hearth and stayed still until he was sure he could hear her breathing change, signalling that she was asleep. Only then did he get up and make himself a large mug of strong black tea and put an enchantment on her fire place to make sure that his Slytherins could still find him if need be.

Sitting back down in his chair, Severus sipped slowly at the bitter beverage and watched as she tossed and turned in her sleep, murmuring unintelligible somethings. Once, he could have sworn that he heard his own name, but he put it down to wishful thinking.

His mind went to the last night he had spent with her. He was sure she had seen the mark, he had been careless, and had no idea how that had made her feel. He also relived the events of that evening; he had not reacted well to finding Black in her chambers. The realisation of what the words he had said to her actually implied, sinking in. He rubbed his face with his hands, wondering at his jealousy of Black. They had obviously just been talking, something he found particularly difficult with her for fear of bringing up sensitive topics.

He watched Florence laying there asleep, her back to him, her long hair shining in the firelight.

At some point, Severus must have fallen asleep himself because, when he opened his eyes, the clock's hands were pointing to 2am. He stretched slightly in his seat. Wondering what had woken him; his curiosity was satisfied when he heard a panicked moan coming from Florence's direction. He got up and moved towards her, kneeling next to the bed.

"Leave them alone!" She muttered, obviously distressed. She had wound the sheets tightly around her as she tossed and turned. Severus reached forward to untangle her, when he heard her scream his name.

Forgetting all common sense, he took off his boots and sat on the bed next to her, gathering her up in his arms, wondering if he should say something but thinking of nothing appropriate. Stroking her back up and down, he was aware of her trembling in dread.

"Florence. It's alright." He mumbled, still holding her close. He hoped his proximity would calm her down. She opened her eyes a little.

"Severus?"

"I'm here. Go back to sleep." He tried to lay her back on the bed but she grabbed hold of him.

"Don't leave me. Don't leave me again." She pleaded and, seeing the pain in her eyes, he held her close.

"I'll never leave you again." He promised and, shrugging out of his cloak, he laid down next to her and snuggled her close. Her head fitted into the crook in his neck and she sighed with relief before going back to sleep.

Severus stared up at the ceiling, knowing that he'd never sleep now, not after he'd made a promise that he couldn't guarantee he'd keep.

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The plea that she had made a few short hours ago, in her dreamful state, forgotten, Florence turned her head into the pillow, denying that he was shaking her. _When did he get in bed with me, anyway? _She hadn't invited him and if she wanted to pretend to be asleep through the violent shaking then she would. But it wasn't just shaking now; he was talking, or rather shouting desperately. In her half-asleep state she didn't get his words.

"What?!" She turned over to face him and spat venomously. Florence was met with a panicked face. He was wide-eyed and even paler than usual. He stared blankly at her. "Severus!" She took him by the shoulders. "What is it?" She asked in a softer voice, realising his obvious distress.

"I can't see you."

"What are you talking about?" She tried to keep her voice even; she was already irritated again and had to rein in her annoyance.

"I can't see." He said it slowly, as though talking to an imbecile.

"You can't see?" She said sceptically, raising her eyebrows in frustration.

"That's what I said."

"You have gone suddenly and inexplicably blind?!" She couldn't keep the scepticism out of her tone.

"No, I'm stupid enough to hold my hands over my eyes and frighten myself!" It was his turn to bite back.

"You're serious aren't you?"

"Have I ever joked?"

She thought a moment. "I suppose there is a first time for everything… I was foolishly hopeful." She swung her legs out of bed. "Does this sort of thing happen often?" She said, unable to fight her own, irrational, exasperation.

"What sort of question is that?!"

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_A/N:_

_Hello, fanfic fans!!_

_STARLIGHT: I hope this explains who pulled Florence back on the night her parents were killed._

_Martha and Squirrel.x.x_


	9. Apple Crumble and Ice Cream!

Chapter 9: Apple Crumble and Ice cream

Disclaimer: Same as usual! We own nothing, make nothing from it, just enjoy writing about these people and places.

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Severus and Florence made the hospital wing at about 4.30 am. Florence never understood how Madam Pomfrey was always there, no matter what the time of day. No mention was made about them arriving together, to their mutual relief.

Madam Pomfrey concluded that there was nothing wrong with Severus' eyes and that it was magical rather than medical.

Florence left Severus there and took off for the library to see if she could find any possible causes. She passed peeves being reprimanded for something by the Bloody Baron on her way there and was relieved the Slytherin Ghost was there so the poltergeist didn't start on her.

She spent three hours there and then headed back to the hospital wing to find out what Madam Pomfrey had concluded.

Severus wasn't there. "Did Severus leave?" Florence asked the kindly matron.

"Yes dear, he asked to be taken back to his rooms."

"What did you come up with?" She chose to ignore the 'taken _back_' error.

"Not a lot I'm afraid. It's not just a simple caecitas hex, or anything I could sort out, it must be a different sort of magic." Poppy bustled about the infirmary, not looking at all like she had been up since before 4.30. "Albus would like to see you in his office as soon as possible though."

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Florence found Sirius in the Owlery. She had taken a break from her research to mail the letter she had written to Heather the night before. Sirius was trying to get the owl pellet off the bottom of his boot by scraping it along the wall.

"Hiya." Florence said, unable to stop herself smiling at him.

"Oh, hi. I was just posting something for Harry and sending Remus a few lines, just to keep him up with the news." Sirius chuckled and Florence wondered what he could be finding funny.

Sirius followed her over to where Tizane was sleeping and looked at the address on the envelope, over her shoulder. Florence gave Tizane's feathers a little ruffle and the owl turned away from her. "I'm sorry, old girl, but this is the only minute I've had…you know I love you really." The owl seemed to respond to the affection and turned back around on her perch, nudging into Florence's hand.

"You're not expecting _that_ to make it all the way to Australia?!" Sirius looked sceptical at the thought.

She gave him a 'look' and shook her head. "Don't be stupid." She turned back to her owl, attaching the scroll to Tizane's reluctant claw. "She's just going to take it to the Post Office in Hogsmeade. They've got some long-distance cockatoos and then catch an internal budgerigar." She said, as she sent Tizane on her way.

Sirius raised one eyebrow dubiously and Florence giggled. "I was kidding… about the budgies anyway!"

His face cracked into a smile and mock-slapped her around the head. Still laughing, she returned the gesture.

"Careful! I'm sure the owls wouldn't be impressed if this turned into an all-out brawl!" Sirius raised his hands in surrender and backed away slowly to her amusement.

They chuckled together as they walked down the stairs of the tower.

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Florence made her way down to the dungeons that evening. Struck by the cold, she hugged her arms around herself for comfort. The atmosphere in the dungeons was odd. It was as though you could feel the entire castle above you. It was oppressive and claustrophobic.

One was drawn to hurry down the passageways rather than saunter at your leisure like you would in the corridors above.

She reached the door to Severus' rooms and knocked twice. There were the sounds of muffled cursing from within, and then the door was flung open with a snarl of aggravation.

"Severus." She said in the most soothing voice she could manage, wanting to let him know it was her without actually having to announce herself. She chose to ignore his obviously foul mood.

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, letting it out slowly. "Florence." He said, sounding calmer.

"I spoke with the Headmaster earlier today." She decided to cut to the chase, he probably wouldn't appreciate niceties like 'how are you?' and 'isn't it a beautiful day'.

"He said he would ask you to look into it."

"He did. We are both in agreement that there could very well be some pretty powerful dark magic involved." This revelation prompted no reaction.

"He expressed those fears to me also."

"I will perform the 'Tenebrae Amictus' spell in the morning, that will at least let us know where we stand."

"Why not do it now?"

"The Ministry wouldn't have given the licence to perform the casting if they thought I would attempt it when I was knackered."

"I see your point." He looked distracted and aggravated.

Florence knew the next question had to be asked and also knew that she would wish she hadn't asked it. "Are you coping alright?"

"Of course I am. I'm not an invalid."

_Well actually, Severus, you are! _"I know…I'm sorry, I just had to ask."

"Well, I'm fine."

"You wouldn't like me to stay? Incase you need anything." She felt stupid. That just wasn't something you should have to say to someone you had exchanged body fluids with.

He shook his head, a definite no, that left her with no doubt that the last thing he wanted was her in _his_ bed. In truth, she didn't think she wanted to spend the night shivering in his private dungeon hell, but that wasn't the point.

"I'll see you in the morning then." Florence felt bad for just leaving, but couldn't exactly make him want her to stay. She touched his shoulder, "bye." She turned to go, feeling hurt that he didn't even want her to stay and used because she had slept with him the times he had turned up on her without invitation.

"Wait." He said, voice deep but soft. Florence stopped. She remained, breathing as quietly as she could for no discernable reason, patiently anticipating his next words. "I didn't mean that I don't want you to be with me."

_So…?__ What else could you have meant?_ She waited for him to continue, the silence seemed to be amplified by the dark and still surroundings.

"If you wouldn't mind, I would rather come with you." What could she say? She had offered to be with him, 'incase he needed anything'. The phrase now sounded awful in her mind and she wished she hadn't asked. It's not as though he would have been backward in coming forward about staying the night with her if he'd wanted. She took his right arm and hitched her own with it. He closed his door behind him.

Why was he so reluctant to have her down there? It struck Florence that he hadn't even invited her in. They headed for the stairs out of the dungeons.

He stopped short before they reached the entrance to the Slytherin common room. "Would you mind if we took a less public rout?" He requested. "I have no desire to be seen being led around like a pet."

He directed them down a few dungeon passageways; Florence was amazed by how well he kept his bearings. They emerged from a stairway somewhere behind the Great Hall and she could guide them on the routs that students rarely took from there.

By the time Florence got into bed she was shattered. Severus had settled himself in an armchair by the fire. Her pillow had never seemed so soft and inviting. He was just staring unseeing at the glowing embers in the grate.

"Severus." She whispered.

"Yes." He spoke faintly.

"Don't sit by the fire. Either get in bed or go back to your rooms; it makes me uncomfortable."

He sighed and stood, thinking about where he was before deciding to move. He found his way to the end of the bed and crawled up to the pillow. He crept under the covers and lay awake.

He tossed and turned. When he finally did fall asleep, it was fitful. He murmured and trashed about. At one point he just sat on the edge of the bed and rocked. Florence had to suppress the urge to try and comfort him. She had no idea what he was thinking and wasn't sure she wanted to, or that she would be able to deal with it if she did. She pretended to sleep soundly.

It must have been around three am when he at last drifted into peaceful sleep, his breathing becoming regular and relaxed. He lay with his arms under his pillows and his face turned away from her, black hair scattered.

Florence rubbed her hands over her face and took a few deep breaths. The coolness coming from Severus' body on one side and the heat radiating from the dying fire on the other made quite a contrast. In an abstract way it reminded her of eating hot apple crumble with ice cream. The only difference being that she liked eating hot apple crumble with ice cream.

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Florence woke up and was confronted with the ceiling. It leered down at her and she wondered why she found it so oppressive. There was a reason she was uneasy but she couldn't quite place what that reason was. It was the light in the bathroom that eventually told her. Severus was still there. She hadn't woken up in the morning with him still there before.

She got up and wandered into the bathroom, not thinking at all about his privacy, if he wanted that he wouldn't have asked to stay. He was already washed and dressed on his own, the annoying, stubborn man. He just had on his trousers and the white cotton shirt he wore underneath his black over garments; the cuffs and top buttons not done up.

He was trying to shave. She gathered her hair up and raked a brush through it, knotting it back off her face. She kicked a pile of her dirty clothes into a corner. _I should probably tidy up; this could be a death trap. _

He winced. A line of dark red blood trickled down his face in stark contrast to his pale cheek.

She grabbed his wrist firmly with one hand and took the blade from him with the other. He turned on her, frustration and defiance in his unseeing eyes. "I'll do it." She said firmly, in the no nonsense voice that she used with the children.

"I'm fine!" Severus spat furiously.

"I'll do it." She repeated in the same tone. "You'll cut yourself to pieces."

"I said I was fine!" He was incensed.

"And I don't care what you said." Florence kept the level tone and moved around to his other side. The tension in the room was almost tangible. She jumped up to sit on the bench next to the washbasin. She rinsed the sharp blade in the warm water and took his shoulders to pull him in front of her. He yielded, reluctantly. She pulled him between her legs so he couldn't go anywhere. "Why don't you just use a spell?"

He tried to fix his sightless eyes on her but failed and ended up focusing on something just above her left shoulder. "Why don't you?"

She sat there and blinked at him in amazement. He knew far more about her than she thought.

"Close your eyes." She commanded, ignoring his question.

"I'm blind, Flo." He said as thought she was stupid.

"I know but… I can't have you stare at me when I'm doing this." He arched an eyebrow and grudgingly closed them, still dubious about trusting her. She slipped her hand around the back of his neck and into his greasy hair, tilting his head a little to the side.

He need not have worried. She made confident, even strokes in the direction of growth, making an excellent job of the task, never saying a word. He was completely at her mercy, she was in totally in control. Possibly the most intimate moment he had ever shared with anyone.

Being unable to see her made him even more aware of their each and every point of contact; his hands resting on her hips, her knees at his sides and her hand in his hair. Goosebumps prickled down his back and his breathing got deeper and more erratic, Severus had to suppress a groan on her finishing stroke.

Florence was concentrating so intently that the sensuality of the situation almost escaped her. She handed him a damp flannel to wipe his face and then as she passed him a towel to dry, she realised how warm she was, her heartbeat thudding between her legs.

She slid herself further forward on the bench and realised that she wasn't the only one who was aroused. He was stiff pressed against her. Her heart rate quickened.

She took his tender, cool, freshly shaven cheek in her palm, it wasn't just his; it was theirs, she leant forward to kiss it softly and enjoyed his involuntary intake of breath.

Severus slipped his arms around her, splaying his hands on her back, pulling her even closer, and his mouth urgently sought hers, kissing her roughly.

Florence moaned into his mouth as her body called out to his. He pulled her off the bench; she was still wrapped around him. He groaned loudly as sensations surged through him.

"I can't carry you." His voice rasped with hunger as he put her down reluctantly.

She took his hand and led him out of the bathroom, across her room toward the bed. Severus stopped her only once on the way to pull her into his arms for a deep, anxious kiss.

She pushed him down onto the bed, flinging her robe off, then helping him to undress. She pulled the covers up over them like a tent. Having freed him from his trousers she started to work up the loose shirt, undoing each button slowly. She lightly stroked the smattering of soft, fine black hairs on the pail skin around the hollow of his navel, and bowed her head to taste inside with her tongue. There was still the faintest hint of bath water.

"Flo."

When she finally reached his mouth, Florence held her lips just millimetres from his and reached out for him, holding him, hot and hard in her hand. He gasped and groaned into her mouth.

He cried out in delight beneath her, under her touch. Some peculiar part of her wished he would just come in her hands, but the rest of her knew that he would never allow himself. The feeling of control was going to her head, he was in her hands and every sound he made was her accomplishment.

High on his pleasure, Florence straddled her legs around him and his blind, black eyes searched for her unrewarded. She had to close her own eyes so she couldn't see his frustration. She pressed herself against him and wanted him to take her buttocks and slide her down over him. He didn't; wrapping his arms, still partially in his shirt, firmly around her back, he rolled them over.

Burying his head in her shoulder, strands of his oily hair fell over her face. Severus took big hungry lung-fulls of her scent; he would have been willing to drown in her completely. "I wish I could see you." His voice was horse and shaky.

She moaned impatiently; so conscious of him between her legs.

"Tell me you want me." He pleaded.

"I want you." She said her voice high and uneven with desire.

He pushed into her. Florence was so aroused that she started to climax almost immediately. He was shocked at how quickly she seemed to dissolve beneath him, her fingernails digging into his back and legs hungrily pulling him deeper into her. He gratefully allowed himself to relax.

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Florence struggled up the stairs back to her rooms with a basket full of the things required for her spell. Books from her classroom, herbs from Suzan Sprout, a potato from Hagrid's garden and a few things she had raided from Severus' stores, despite his reluctance to let her loose in there.

He had an amazing amount of stuff. She had got a little carried away, staying in there long after she had found what she needed, searching through all the bottles, jars and vials. Then, discovering his pickled specimens had lost herself completely. There were things in there that she wouldn't know where to start if she wanted to procure. She was sure that there wasn't a potion ingredient thought of that he didn't have. He even had a few things that she was certain hadn't ever been used in potions, and were a 'just incase' sort of item, almost as though he was planning something cunning and revolutionary. She wouldn't put it past him. She would have trouble explaining what had taken her so long. He had given her precise instructions where to find what she wanted and they had been perfect to the letter. She prayed silently to herself that she put everything back in its correct place!

When she reached her rooms she put the basket down and, unlocking the door, went inside. Severus was sat in front of her fire, elbows on the arms of the chair and his fingers steepled, feet up on the coffee table.

Florence pulled the basket in with a sigh and started unloading the multitude of stuff. She laid it all out on the floor, and then stepped back to survey it, biting a fingernail thoughtfully. She walked over to the table against the wall and took the teacups and teapot off the tea tray and put it on the floor with the rest of the bizarre collection. She sat on the floor cross-legged in front of the tea tray and-

"What are you going to cast on?" Severus interrupted her thoughts.

"What?" She said, a little distracted.

"What will you cast on…? You can't just cast on the bare floor boards."

"I know…" She said in an airy, distracted voice. "I'm using the tea tray." She carried on, picking up a knife to peal the potato.

"The tea tray…?" His eyebrows were approaching his hairline.

"What could be better?" Severus fell silent.

He could hear what she was doing but couldn't make out what part of the spell's preparation it was. "What are you doing?" He asked.

"Pealing a potato."

"I was being serious." He couldn't stand her attempts at sarcasm.

"So was I." She said in the same airy voice.

"A potato has nothing to do with this spell."

"It does when I cast it." She looked at his confused expression and stifled a giggle with a small cough. "It makes it easier, the starch in the potato cuts down the effort you have to put in to get a substantial enough cloud form."

"Surely every short cut you make you pay for somewhere else?" He said critically.

"True enough." She pretended to ignore the fact that he was criticising and treat it like a friendly discussion. "The cloud will be less sensitive, but if the magic is strong enough to render you completely sightless and exact enough not to effect anything else, it's got to be pretty powerful stuff. The cloud won't need to be too sensitive."_ So Ha!_ She added silently to herself in a more superior tone.

"These people are likely to be experts. What's to say that they didn't think of your little spell?"

"I expect they did" she was angry now, but trying very hard not to show it "but why bust my ass with something more complex when this will, in all probability, do?"

"You always had a unique approach." He said slowly and Florence couldn't help bristling at the underlying note of distain.

"What's that supposed to mean?" She bit.

"Does anyone else use potato in this spell? Would anyone else cast on the tea tray?"

She was furious. Just three hours ago he had been begging her to tell him she wanted him, and now he was just delighting in criticising everything she was doing. "There is nothing wrong with any of those things." She had a good mind to tell him to cast the spell himself if his methods were so perfect. "If anything it shows a greater initiative and resource. And besides, since when has any potion maker needed a picked mole?" This had indeed pricked her curiosity. There was nothing magical about moles.

"I didn't say there was anything wrong with it, I merely said it was unique. And how would you know that I own a pickled mole?"

"I went through all your specimens. I was intrigued. You have an amazing collection, even if some of it is a little bizarre." She was truthful. They were already annoying one another, why not go the whole hog?

"There was no need, I gave you precise instructions." She had him riled too now.

"I didn't do it because I needed to, I was just curious." She put on her best fake-sweet voice, putting the perfectly diced potato into the smallest pewter cauldron Severus owned (just 8 inches in diameter).

"You went through everything?"

"It's not like I read your diary, Severus." The thought of him having a diary amused her a little and she chuckled into her fist.

"Did you put everything back in its exact place?" He made it sound as though he had spent forty years making a record-breaking jigsaw and she had broken it up when he only had a few pieces left to go.

"I think so." That would make him fume.

"You think so?" He sounded positively dangerous. Every word enunciated perfectly.

"Well, I did get a little carried away." She lit a small, contained magical fire on the tea tray and balanced the cauldron on top.

He was on the edge of his seat, poised to get up.

"I'm not Neville Longbottom, Severus, you can't scare me; so don't try. It just makes you look silly. And I'm over here, by the way." She watched his nostrils flare in frustration. He sat back in his chair, face angry and hard.

Florence didn't feel like she had just won an argument. He was just fractious because he couldn't see anything and she was the only person there for him to take it out on. She certainly wouldn't have been the best company if there were the possibility someone was tampering with her using dark magic.

They sat in strained silence as she chopped herbs and added different salts to her magical flame to change it a deep emerald colour. The potatoes were boiling and she added the herbs. She could eat them later if she didn't take too long over the casting.

"Invoco." She said clearly and threw some Dugbog teeth into the flames. There were a few sparks. "Tenebrae In Mediaves."

Dried flakes of Graphorn hide were next to go into the flames as they licked at the cauldron. "Caligo Rubeo." She spoke the words perfectly and her timing was precise from years of training. The flames turned blue and more sparks flew. Florence drew her wand from her robes and called; "Amictus" Just as the cauldron was enveloped.

There were a few flashes and she looked expectantly at the frames as they died away. She experienced a few tense moments of anxiety before there was a loud puff of red misty smoke. Florence smiled in satisfaction and walked into the cloud. It was instantly repelled; it couldn't skimmer away from her fast enough. That was certainly encouraging.

"Get up." She instructed.

Severus blew air out his nose in what she was sure was just feigned exasperation and stood, drawing himself to his full height, attempting to muster as much dignity as he could.

"Walk forward." Florence moved out of his way, and directed the cloud in front of him with her wand. When he reached the cloud she told him to stop, too absorbed in what was happening to be effected by their earlier angry words. She loved it when one of her more adventurous magical endeavours went well. She watched, totally captivated, as the foggy red mist swirled excitedly around him and then clung like iron filings to a magnet.

"What's happened?" He asked. "I feel like something is crawling on me."

"It is." Florence said. "There's a pretty hefty dark magical shell around you." She stepped forward and dispersed the cloud with her wand and by muttering; "Disisto."

It dissolved from about him and eventually vanished completely.

"It's going take more than a few words and herbs to shatter that, I can tell you." She said gravely. "We should see the headmaster."

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A/N:

Squirrel: That's the only reason you made him blind isn't it?!

Martha: Damn… Ya Busted me!

Squirrel has a worried look on her face! Ah, the perils of writing as a team…

As you can probably tell we have been hanging out with our Latin Dictionary! We apologise for the quite probable lameness of our magic spells, not being witches we don't really know what we're on about.

Thank you to everyone who reads!

Martha and Squirrel. Xx


	10. Big Hairy Danger

Chapter 10: Big Hairy Danger

Disclaimer: We own none of this stuff (except maybe a couple of the banana sandwiches!)and we don't want to make anything from it. We just enjoy writing it! It all belongs to the fabulous J. K. Rowling!

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Dumbledore picked up a sandwich and nibbled it, a serious expression on his face. He looked over at Florence.

"Mmmm… nothing like a good banana sandwich in times of strife!"

Snape harrumphed and Florence placed his hand on the back of a chair, showing him where to sit. He was grateful for the subtle gesture but still scowled before sitting down.

Florence took a seat beside him.

"I performed the 'Tenebrae Amictus' spell."

"And…?"

"And brace yourself for big hairy danger!"

"My favourite kind!" Dumbledore chuckled as Snape's face twisted disdainfully.

Florence was distracted a little by the professors in their paintings preparing for their New Years Eve celebrations that evening. Old Professor Midwiffle was trying to drag a barrel of ale into view and Florence had an abstract thought – _did Severus have any pictures of himself?_ She couldn't imagine it.

"So… any ideas of what kind of dark magic it could be?" Dumbledore interrupted her odd thoughts.

"It must quite strong and exact, so whoever's casting it must be fairly close by. It probably would be easier to look for the culprit – stop it at the source - than break the curse."

The headmaster nodded his head but Snape just sat still in silent contemplation. Florence wondered what he was thinking.

"We could ask Hagrid to check the forest and Argus could have a look around the school in case something's afoot."

"Hagrid could speak to the centaurs…" Dumbledore mused.

"That covers the school, but what about Hogsmeade?" Severus interjected.

Dumbledore turned to him. "Let's take things one step at a time for now. We can worry about Hogsmeade later."

"Maybe Sirius could help in that area – he could sniff around, literally!" Dumbledore chuckled at Florence's words and Snape's scowl grew fiercer. "It would mean he'd have to stay longer than he'd planned though."

"I'm sure he wouldn't mind. He could spend more time with his godson." The headmaster finished off another banana sandwich with relish. "That's sorted then. I'll have a word with Argus, if you don't mind talking to Hagrid."

"And if I'm still blind when term begins?" Snape interrupted.

"A short-term replacement would have to be considered. I'm sure Suzan Sprout would be willing to stand in, in the meantime. She should be capable of teaching them something where you're two subjects overlap." Dumbledore suggested calmly.

Florence stood up and smiled, glad that they had prepared a plan of some description. She always felt better when things were organised.

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Looking up from her worn copy of "The Big Book of Hairy Danger", Florence's brow furrowed at the sight of a black dog entering the room. It was wearing the florescent robe of a seeing-eye dog. _Surely the ministry don't think that a guide dog would be appropriate for Severus?_

It was the stifled giggles and snorts coming from the other professors in the room that made her look at the dog more closely.

She felt an unwanted grin spread over her face as she realised Sirius was - yet again! - playing a practical joke on Severus. The muffled laughter increased into a loud roar and Professor Flitwick actually fell off of his chair and rolled around on the floor, clutching his stomach.

"What's going on?" The impatient voice of Snape silenced the laughter and Sirius changed back into his human form, grinning sheepishly.

"Err... nothing, Severus." Professor McGonagall declared in between giggles. "Nothing at all!"

The other professors smothered their amusement and all satisfied themselves by grinning at Sirius, who sat down in a chair near the fire, removing the distinctive robe.

Walking past him, Florence stopped by his chair and whacked him round the head before she left the room, Severus following close behind.

"What?" Sirius asked in amazement, knowing full well what she was annoyed about. The other professors just shrugged and smiled at him before returning to their prospective activities.

"What did Black do?" Severus demanded but Florence refused to answer, preferring to keep him "in the dark", quite literally! She carried on down the corridor, but Snape didn't give up that easily…

Florence reached out to unlock the door to her rooms. Severus slid his arms around her from behind and pulled her back into him, splaying his hands on her stomach.

He closed his eyes, but it made no difference to what he saw, and nestled his face in her neck. Florence could feel his breath by her ear and she sagged, leaning back into him, her own eyes closing.

"Tell me." His command was so low and quiet that Florence had to strain to hear. Still, the words meant nothing, the warmth of his mouth and the depth of his voice proved too much of a distraction.

She turned her face into his and found his lips with hers, bringing her hand up to touch his cheek.

"Mmm…"

"We should go in." He muttered into her kiss as Florence turned in his arms.

Upon entering they were greeted by two rather unimpressed owls. Florence giggled.

"What is it?" Severus asked softly.

"It looks like I have mail." Florence said with a smile, rubbing their noses together before reluctantly leaving his embrace to discover what the birds had brought. "Correction… You have mail." She smiled to herself. "Funny how they seem to know you're spending more time here than in your own rooms."

"Well I haven't been down to breakfast, have I?"

"They don't bring mail to your rooms?"

"How would they get in?"

"You have a point." Florence admitted, handing him the envelopes, still smiling, high from their kiss.

He just stood there. "They're no good to me, are they?"

"Oh…" Florence took them back, "I'm sorry."

"What are they?"

"I don't know, do I?"

He smirked, "Open them, then."

"You don't mind?"

"What could it possibly be that I don't want you to see?"

She shouldn't accuse him of having something to hide just because she wouldn't want him opening her mail. Just the thought of him reading a letter to her from someone like Heather filled her with cold dread. It would be like him reading her diary, not that she kept one.

"Its potions papers." She said, looking at the wodges of parchment that were the latest publications in the potions circle.

"What are they on?" his look of eager, almost childlike curiosity made Florence grin.

"Reductor Potion…and…" She rifled through to the next paper, "Patefactio Potion." She continued to shuffle through the heavy pages. "Have you ever published a paper?" She asked, suddenly inquisitive, still smiling at his impatient face.

"Several." He said, not elaborating further, obviously itching to read his mail.

"Would you like me to read them to you?" She watched as the mildest suggestion of horror crossed his face. "…It's nothing to be ashamed of."

"I am not a child."

_You have never been read to in your life have you?_ She mused to herself. "I didn't say you were, but you obviously want to read them, and this is as good a solution as any." She said, trying to keep her tone as level and unpatronising as she could, knowing that he would bite instantly.

He sat down in an armchair by the fire feeling helpless in every way there was. The amorous nature of a few moments ago had been mysteriously dissolved.

"Tea?" Florence changed the subject.

"Please."

She rattled around with the cups and filled the teapot with her wand, pouring the golden liquid into their cups. She put her own cup on the coffee table and took his hand, putting his cup in it. His jaw twitched a little and she knew that he hated being so dependent. _What would he do if I weren't here? _She wondered as she sat herself down, picking up the envelopes; "Which shall I start with?"

"Patefactio." She smiled at his lack of resistance. He knew it was a waste of time and she would read anyway.

Within half an hour he most likely wished he had resisted her offer more forcefully. Every other sentence, she had to stop to ask him a question. It had been so long since she had done any potions theory and couldn't simply read something she didn't understand.

"…induces a dreamlike state. Patefactio causes you to connect to your subconscious while actually awake. This can cause many side effects however and the potion needs to be regulated. The user can be brought back using the Exsomnis draft… Severus? What's Exsomnis?"

"It's something new to replace the Conscius serum."

"Which is…?"

"Put simply, it brings you out of the dream state."

"Why did they need something to replace it?"

"Although Conscius serum was a perfectly good means of bringing someone out of the state, there have been theories put forward by a number of potion brewers that there might be another potion that would have the exact, equal and opposite properties of Patefactio, that would be Exsomnis."

"But why would you bother looking for that if you had something else that worked just as well?"

"Why did wizards invent Scouring charms for Bundimuns when they could just give their houses a good clean?"

"Because it's easier. Surely drinking one potion is as pretty much the same as drinking any other." Florence really couldn't see the point.

"But is brewing one potion pretty much the same as brewing another?"

"You tell me."

"It's not."

Florence racked her brain for anything she could say in retort. "Why _do_ you need a pickled mole, Severus?"

"I'm working on something… or rather, I was."

How could she make a comeback to that? Florence was annoyed that he'd used the sympathy vote to win an argument. She just huffed and continued to read.

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 "Sirius!" Florence called down the corridor to the retreating back. The man in question turned around and stood, waiting for her to catch up.

"Hi! How are you?"

"Oh fine! The usual, you know me."

"How's Snape?" Sirius smirked.

Florence glowered at him. "He's OK. Actually, that's what I wanted to ask you about."

Sirius' forehead lowered in a frown and he raised one enquiring eyebrow.

"Well…" She looked around her, to check if anyone else was in hearing range but still decided that talking about it here was too risky. "Can we talk in my rooms?"

He shrugged, but his face creased into its usual lady-killing lines. "Go on then. Lead the way!"

Once they had got to Florence's quarters, she set about to making the tea. Sirius sat down in his regular seat by the fireplace and stretched his legs out. It was only early afternoon, but he was feeling quite weary.

"So, what was it that you wanted to talk about?"

"Well, as you know, Severus is having some trouble… as in eye trouble…" She trailed off as he grinned at her. "And… we need your help."

"My help? What can I do? I'm out of practice with most spells…"

She shook her head. "No, no. We need you to do some sneaking around Hogsmeade. Professor Dumbledore said that you could get round there with your eyes shut." Sirius laughed at her choice of words and she groaned. "We think whoever is doing the curse on Severus may be hiding out there. Could you…?"

"Uh… sure. I guess so. It would mean I'd have to stick around a bit longer but…" He shrugged. "What the hell!"

Florence sighed with relief. _He didn't take much persuading!_

"When do you want me to start?"

"As soon as you can, if that's OK." Florence sipped at her tea, slowly.

"Sure thing!" Sirius got to his feet, putting his mug down on the table that was next to him. "I'll go tomorrow – I'm a bit too tired to transform just yet."

Florence nodded. Everyone was tired after the New Years celebrations of last night. Professor Flitwick had won the limbo-dancing contest without a fight, and even Suzan Sprout had joined in for the pickled-onion-eating competition...

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	11. The shit hath hit-eth the fan...-eth

Chapter 12: 'The shit hath hit-eth the fan… -eth'

Disclaimer: Still don't own any of this or make anything from it! The title of this chapter is a line from the film 'Ten things I hate about you.' Which we love but do not own either (except on video… but that's not what we mean and you know it!)

~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~

"Can I hold you?"

"If you want."

Severus turned over in bed and gathered her up into his arms. Florence curled her arm over him and allowed herself to press her face into his grey nightshirt. He settled back into his pillow and enjoyed her warmth until he fell asleep.

Florence woke up, still huddled up to... a collection of pillows. She lifted her head drowsily and looked around; the bed was otherwise empty and Severus sat in an armchair by the fire. His eyes were closed and he looked as though he was still sleeping, but his eyes snapped open when there was a knock at the door. He sighed in exasperation that opening his eyes made no difference.

"Who is it?" Florence said blearily.

"It's me, Sirius."

Florence groaned. "I'm still in bed, Sirius. Can you come back in a couple of hours when I'm up and about?"

"OK. Will do."

__

More likely you've got Snape in there and you don't want me to know, Sirius thought, all of a sudden revolted by the thought. On his way back across to the Entrance Hall, he spotted the entrance to the dungeons and couldn't resist.

He briskly made his way down to the Potions master's rooms. He knew where they were from a brief visit once a couple of years ago, during the war. When he reached the door, he hammered loudly on the wood, certain that he would get no reply. He got none.

He was just drawing his wand when he realised that there were mostly likely enough enchantments on the doorway to leave him in the hospital wing for yet another wasted twelve years. Snape had always been Mr Paranoia. Sirius pounded on the heavy door one more time before leaving. There was another way of finding out where he was.

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"Severus... get back into bed."

"I thought you were going to get up and get ready for Black."

__

What sort of comment is that? "Fine. I don't care what you do." Florence rolled over and sunk her face as deep into the pillow as she could, wishing he wasn't there.

The covers were lifted and Florence felt an arm being slid around her. She just led still and pretended not to notice. She found herself being rolled over and dragged back into an embrace by strong arms. He moulded her to him, pulling the covers over them both. 

"I'm sorry." He muttered into her hair.

"You should be." Florence said, letting herself rest back into him.

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Sirius stormed back to Florence's rooms. The two spots on the Marauder's map were still clear in his mind, so close that their little names blurred together.

He knocked on the door, giving her a chance to come and talk to him.

"Who is it?" The same bleary voice as last time said. 

"Let me in."

"Sirius...! What are you doing back?"

"Still in bed? Someone with you?"

"Sirius...! What's up with you?"

"You've got Snape in there haven't you? That's why you wouldn't let me in before."

The door opened a tiny crack and Florence peeked out, still in her bed robe. "Come back in a while and I'll speak to you."

"He's in there, isn't he? Been in there all night, I bet."

Florence stepped out into the corridor and shut the door behind her, locking it with her wand; a spell he knew would only let her wand open it again. "Yes, Sirius, but he needs somewhere to be. I don't think he should be on his own." She spoke quietly and clearly as though explaining something to a small child in a crowded street and not wanting to draw attention.

"Oh, like that is it? You feel sorry for him?" Sirius looked truly appalled. "Well, let me tell you, he deserve _none_ of your pity."

"He's getting none."

"Really? You mean you actually want him in there...? Do you have any idea what he was? Any at all?"

"I know he was a Death Eater, if that's what you mean." Her voice was small. It was bad enough having your own doubts, fears and mixed up feelings without someone else ramming them down your throat.

"And after what he did to you." Sirius took her by the shoulders.

"I know."

"Let me in there."

"Why? So you can do what?"

"Throw him out. Because I know you won't."

"No Sirius, just go. I'm fine, I promise." She managed to get a little more strength behind what she was saying.

"He's really got to you, hasn't he?" Sirius was livid. "I let him hurt you once. I won't let you get hurt again, not like last time. Now, let me in."

"No. Just go away and calm down."

"I'm perfectly calm. Never been calmer. Now let me kick some sense into that greasy bastard."

"Just go. You can come back some other time, when we've sorted out the sight thing and kick him then, OK?" Appeasement seemed her only option.

"You think that'll make it all fair? Give him his sight so he can fight back?"

"Sirius!"

"He doesn't need to see to hurt people. He's an expert."

"Sirius, stop it, please."

"No, it has to be said! You are blinded by how you used to feel. He's evil, Florence; he could hurt people with his eyes shut. Hell, he could probably kill in his sleep!"

Florence couldn't take it; she lashed out. She didn't slap him or something so feminine, but a quick shove with the base of her palm gave the satisfying sound of when a nose cracks. 

Florence recoiled back in shock at her actions, holding her hand over her mouth. Blood poured down over his face and into his hands. 

"Oh, God...! Sirius, I..." She reached out to touch him but he backed away. "Wait... I" She couldn't imagine why she had done it. "I'm sorry... I...Let me take you to the hospital wing."

Sirius had already got halfway down the corridor. "Don't bother." He managed to say.

Florence went back into her rooms, her hand still over her mouth; she was wide-eyed with shock.

"What happened? What was all the shouting?"

"I think I broke his nose." Florence said in that awful, tiny voice. A smirk spread slowly across Snape's sallow face. Florence swept into the bathroom, locking the door behind her and getting into the shower.

She sat under the beating water having no idea of how she felt or what she wanted. Severus stepped inside.

"Severus! _Get out!_" She couldn't handle it.

"Flo..."

"_Go! I wouldn't have locked the door if I had wanted you in here, would I?_" He left. Florence could feel tears falling unbidden down her cheeks.

When she walked out of the bathroom, Severus was sat on the end of the bed and got up immediately.

"Flo."

"Don't Severus, I've got to go and see if Sirius is OK."

"Talk to me."

"I don't know what to say. I just broke one of my only friend's nose in the defence of someone I'm not even sure I like." Her voice wavered.

He reached out to touch her but she stepped away.

"I don't know how to deal with this... I defended you last time. For weeks I made excuses for you; it was months before I finally admitted I was probably never going to see you again. I tried so hard to justify why I hadn't heard from you and why I couldn't find you. I felt like such an idiot when I finally stopped kidding myself... You hurt me so much, and I'm doing it again; I'm defending you to the same people I did last time." She stopped, feeling choked.

"If I could go back and not meet you in the library that day, I would. I would change everything. I wish I hadn't hurt you, I wish I could stop hurting you. If I could change it, I would. I'd be in Azkaban now, but... but you... I wouldn't have hurt you."

"I can't do this... I just can't bare it... I came here and you were back in my life, and it was fine for a while, but then... And then you were back in my bed too, and now, without me even realising it, you're back in my heart and I'm defending you... I can't do it again, I can't risk it." She couldn't look at him. "I'm going to go and find out if Sirius is OK." She turned and left, biting her finger; trying so hard not to burst into tears. 

__

What did he mean when he said he would be in Azkaban now? What could I possibly have to do with that?

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Florence walked into the Infirmary; she couldn't help but look a bit sheepish. She could lose her job for hitting someone. Madame Pomfrey greeted her warmly.

"Has Sirius already gone?"

"Yes, dear. He's gone back to Harry in Gryffindor tower."

"Oh." Florence might be a teacher but, as a Ravenclaw, she still had no way of getting into any common room but her own.

"If you'd like, I'll take you over. I was in Gryffindor... Think I can get myself in." She smiled softly. "I expect the door Sirius walked into wants to say sorry."

Florence smiled weakly. Sirius hadn't said it was her and she was grateful he didn't blame her. "Thank you." She really meant it.

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Stepping through the painting of the fat lady into the Gryffindor common room felt very strange. She had seen Sirius and the others disappear in there numerous times when she was at school but had never ventured inside herself. In fact, there was only one other person she knew that had been in an area other than his own.

Sirius stood up from in front of the fire. "Could you leave us, Harry?"

"Of course." Harry said, giving Florence a weak smile before heading upstairs to find Ron. 

"Florence." Sirius could see she was upset. "What's he done?" He put his arms around her.

"Nothing. He didn't do anything." She sniffed. "It's me... I'm sorry."

"It's OK. Madame Pomfrey straightened me out... Literally!"

Florence allowed a weak smile to flit across her face before she hugged him a bit more tightly.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have hit you...not when you meant well. You were only trying to protect me..." She trailed off as new tears sprang up in her eyes and ran down her cheeks, soaking his dark robe.

"Hey." He lifted her chin up with one long finger. "There's no need for that. Come on..." He enveloped her back in his strong embrace, all the while cursing the Powers That Be for allowing an innocent like Florence to be involved with a rattlesnake like Severus Snape. He would go along with her wishes for the moment but he knew, deep down inside, that he would make Snape pay severely for what he had done.

~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~

Florence made her way back to her rooms. Sirius had offered to come but she didn't think it was wise. She opened the door and the room was empty. He'd gone. _Great!_ Florence thought, kicking the bed leg hard, her body shaking with unwanted tears. _I can't even keep him here when he's blind. _

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"I have to leave, Professor. On a matter of extreme urgency."

"Severus? It's 9 o'clock in the morning! What could be that important for you to go immediately?"

"I have my reasons." Severus paced up and down the carpet of Dumbledore's office violently, unwilling to disclose too much about his feelings.

"You must have. But, at the moment, you are... incapacitated. I do not think it's the right time..."

Severus stopped pacing and slammed his palms down on the desk in front of Dumbledore, scaring Fawkes, who squawked loudly, in the process. The headmaster looked into Severus' wild, unseeing eyes in surprise. Even when in the worst temper, Snape had shown a lot of respect and control towards him but now...

"It is most important that I leave. Now. This instant!" Snape resumed his pacing. 

Dumbledore was thankful that he had not moved his furniture in the last seventeen years, allowing Snape to pace with ease, even in his blind state. 

"Severus..." Dumbledore hesitated. "This doesn't have anything to do with Professor Findal, does it?"

Severus stopped pacing in mid-stride and looked over in the direction of Dumbledore. He wasn't surprised that the aged professor saw through him. Dumbledore was normally astute, and he and Florence had not exactly been discrete. Feeling his way towards a chair, he sat down silently, steepling his hands in a typical gesture. He tried to calm down; he owed this man so much and it wasn't right to repay him with rudeness. 

Dumbledore took his silence for agreement and his wrinkled face softened. "Have you two had a falling out?" 

Silence.

"Leaving won't help, you know. You have to face your problems."

Severus grunted in reply and kept his head down, not wanting Dumbledore to see any trace of emotion pass over his face.

"Maybe if you talk things through..." Spouting clichés, in situations such as these, Dumbledore found usually worked. 

"There's nothing to talk about: I've hurt her and I need to go before I do it again." Every word was short and succinct, betraying the anger and hurt behind the cool facade.

"Problems are better solved than ignored."

"I cannot seem to solve my own inability to refrain from hurting Professor Findal. I had a chance to make amends and I wasted it because of my own selfishness."

Dumbledore sighed and pushed away the remainders of his breakfast. He looked around at the pictures lining the walls for assistance but he was greeted with a series of apologetic shrugs. He decided to try a different tack, it was difficult to help someone with a problem who spoke about it only in riddles. 

"And what would you do if you left? Where would you go? You couldn't possibly rattle away in that old house of yours in Lincolnshire." Dumbledore smiled slightly as a thought hit him. "Maybe your sister..."

Snape made a violent shake of his head and looked blindly at Dumbledore in obvious refusal.

"Well, you can't live alone. If you stay here, after we solve the mystery of your... lack of sight, you can do as you please. You cannot live alone when you are like this; it would not be safe." Dumbledore stated firmly, unyielding in the fact he would not let Snape leave.

"But if whoever is doing this is near Hogwarts then perhaps leaving would throw them off, for a while at least."

"They will most likely look for you again. You will be without the protection that Hogwarts offers." Dumbledore knew better than to continue along the Professor Findal track. 

Snape nodded, knowing he had no other options. Despite his need to go, he knew that it wouldn't be wise for him to be alone in Lincolnshire. And his sister... he would never ask her for help. He got up slowly; nodding in the direction of Dumbledore, before realising that leaving would be a challenge, he couldn't go by floo as he had come because he never lit his fire. Dumbledore, as if knowing what he was thinking, took pity on him and walked with him down to the dungeons.

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Still angry from this morning's episode, Sirius ambled as casually as possible down the wide street of Hogsmeade. Scratching an invisible flea, he sat in the shadows of a shop and watched as the residents walked by. He watched out for any strange goings-on but it looked like a normal day in the village. 

A couple of kids sprang out of the door of the shop and petted his black furry head joyfully before running off down the street. He almost smiled at their exuberance but contented himself with a series of short barks. 

Scanning his dark eyes down the street again, his attention was caught by a strange man. He was wearing a dark-coloured robe and he looked almost familiar but Sirius couldn't see him clearly behind the heavy whiskers he wore. The man shuffled down the street, trying to look as inconspicuous as possible and he succeeded; the other villagers ignored him as if he wasn't there.

Sirius loped carelessly out of the shadows and followed the wizard down the road, wanting to know his destination and he wasn't disappointed; the man was heading towards the Shrieking Shack.

Wanting to know exactly who he was, Sirius ran a bit closer to the man and yelped a little causing the man to turn around and look down at him with anxious eyes. He had the look of derangement, and gave Sirius the impression that not quite all his mind was there.

"Go away! Shoo!"

Sirius' blood froze. He'd know that acerbic voice anywhere but the last time he'd heard it was screaming in misery inside the walls of Azkaban. The man was Marcus Mulciber. 

During the last war, followers of Voldemort had raided Azkaban. There were several people that had not been rounded up yet after his second downfall. 

Looking down uneasily at the black dog in front of him, Mulciber aimed a hard kick at its stomach but the mutt quickly dodged it. He didn't like the condemning look that was in the dog's eyes but he shook his head and cursed at himself as if he was mad. Continuing to shake his head, he shuffled inside the walls of the shack, peering out of the door to see if anyone was watching, before shutting the door firmly behind him.

Sirius nudged the door open with the end of his nose and followed him in without a sound.

~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~

A/N: Boo Hoo!

Anyway… Thanks for reviewing everybody! We really appreciate them!

Polgara: The 'Big Hairy Danger' thing is one of Martha's favourite phrases so we had to use it somewhere!

Becki: As you can see there is loads of action to come!

Starlight: We love those bits too!


	12. Good intentions

Chapter 13: Good intentions.

Disclaimer: We don't own any of this! We're just playing in the sandbox J. K. Rowling created…

~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~

Heavy footsteps echoed across the dungeon floor as Snape paced forcefully around his rooms. His earlier plan of leaving Hogwarts gone, he was feeling more than a little annoyed with himself and was emitting a series of really offensive curses while reliving his last words with Florence.

"…without me even realising it, you're back in my heart…" 

He could still hear her words revolving around in his head, repeating themselves over and over again. _I didn't know it had meant this much to her_... he stopped. Of course he knew; he was just going to take what she was willing to give, no matter the costs.

Cursing himself loudly again, he carried on pacing around the room, kicking anything that was in his path.

Looking around at his bleak surroundings, he saw… _he saw_…

Snape's eyes widened in amazement and he held a hand up in front of his face for no discernible reason. He sat down on his bed, feeling a little dizzy from the sensation. He could see. He could go anywhere, do as he chose, but he didn't have a clue where to start. 

As if punishing himself, he dragged a small box from under his bed and sat staring at it for a while, unsure if he should open it. He took the lid off slowly, prolonging the torture, and lifted the bundle of letters out, pushing the box aside.

"Severus Snape", the letters said; the first few had been read but the rest were unopened. He'd always meant to read them, always meant to reply to them but… he never did. They had stopped coming and the next thing he knew, it was seven years later and he was sat in the headmaster's office. 

He fingered one of the envelopes, looking at the seal: the distinguishable "F" stamped in red wax. His fingers paused over the fastening as he debated whether to open it before replacing it back into the box with the others. He knew he should get rid of them; they were doing more harm than good, but he'd kept them this long. They were a reminder of the mistakes he had made in the past and to throw them away… 

But to keep them unopened…

Giving up on his mental debate, he put the letters back under the bed with finality. He rubbed his hands over his face tiredly and stood up. 

He was cold. It was cold in the dungeons and for a moment he remembered how warm she was. Her warmth seemed to seep over him when he held her. He wanted to hold her, close his eyes and be just them, nothing else. 

A knock on the door interrupted his wallowing. He went to the door and opened it, no idea who it would be or if he cared or not. 

"Flo." He said, without realising he had even spoken. 

"The Headmaster wants to see us." She turned round and walked back up the passageway, not looking back. He watched her for a moment before her words sank in and he realised he was supposed to follow her. 

~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~

"Glad to see you've 'recovered'…" Sirius smirked as Severus walked into the room. Florence was fussing over the noticeable cut that sliced above one of his eyebrows and Severus scowled at the sight.

"Professor." He acknowledged Dumbledore who was sitting behind the desk, a smile on his face.

"I think we've solved your problem. Sirius found the cause lurking outside the Shrieking Shack and has brought him back here before he got a chance to renew the curse."

"I knew that it would be something that needed to be replenished every few hours, there just isn't that kind of power in a permanent spell." Florence seemed bothered by something else though. "Doesn't this seem a little easy to you?" she asked, turning to Dumbledore and Severus looked at her but she seemed to be ignoring the fact that he was there.

"Yes, Florence. It was almost as though he _wanted_ to be found." 

Sirius grinned a little smugly. "He was not exactly stealthy, I admit that. But it took a hell of a lot to get him here!"

"Yes. It must have been really hard to stupify him, Apparate him back to the gates and conjure up a stretcher. You _poor_ thing." Snape gave Sirius a scathing look.

"I should be more grateful, if I were you." Florence cut in and an uncomfortable silence ensued.

"Ahem." Dumbledore broke the silence. "I don't suppose either of you wants to know who it is?" 

Snape raised an inquisitive eyebrow.

"Marcus Mulciber. I suppose you know him, Snape, seeing as though you're old buddies." Sirius faced Snape, an evil leer crossing his face.

"Where is he?" Severus ignored him and spoke only to Dumbledore.

"He's locked in Professor Flitwick's office."

Snape swept out of the office and headed up to the West Tower's seventh floor. He could hear people following in his wake but that didn't detract from the speed of his stride. 

Quickly releasing the charms from the door, he went in. The door hit the wall with a loud crash, causing Mulciber to look up at Snape in shock. Seeing who it was, he tried to edge away from the door as much as possible but Snape grabbed him by the neck and held him off the ground.

Mulciber yelped in pain, "Aeecchh!" but Snape didn't care. He wanted to cause this man as much pain as he had felt in the last couple of days. He slammed Mulciber's frail form violently against the back wall of the room. 

"You ruined it, didn't you? Took away the life I wanted, the life I could have had!" Snape tightened his grip, oblivious of the people now stood in the doorway. 

Mulciber made a tiny squeaking sound.

"Severus. Put him down." Dumbledore's voice drifted over to him but Severus didn't hear. "Put him down." 

The grip on Mulciber slackened and he dropped to the floor in a crumpled heap, rubbing his neck. He took strangled gasps of air as Severus looked down on him, pure hatred written in the lines of his face. Snape allowed one kick of his boot before turning back to the shocked group in the entrance. 

He scanned his eyes over the stern Dumbledore, the gaping Sirius and the deathly pale Florence. The red haze of anger still over his eyes, Snape gritted his teeth; his fists were clenching and unclenching by his sides.

"Blimey! There's enough liquor in here to blow up the whole West Tower!" Sirius noted, breaking the tension. 

Mulciber, seeing that the others were distracted, scrambled to his feet and made a dash for the door but ran into Florence's fist, and fell to the floor in a stupor; her Auror training finally broke through the surface. 

Sirius hugged her to him in amused approval and Dumbledore smiled slightly at her. Only Snape stood unmoving, the fury he had felt only moments before melting, reality returning with full force.

Dumbledore knew that if something wasn't said they would likely stand there and stare at each other indefinitely. "Severus…A word." He said firmly. Something close to understanding crossed Snape's face, which was good enough. "And if you two would restrain our 'guest' so that he doesn't go anywhere before the Ministry officials arrive." He looked at Florence and Sirius. They nodded. "I expect they will be most pleased with your work Sirius; I wouldn't be surprised if they wished to reward you. It isn't every day the Ministry can give the Daily Prophet something positive to report."

"Care to explain, Severus…?"

"I…" Something occurred to Snape. He had known that morning that he would never have left her intentionally all those years ago; in the last few weeks at Hogwarts she had become the most important thing in his life. And yet he had left her. "Now that my sight has returned, I wish to go to Lincolnshire.

Dumbledore was disappointed.

"I'll only be a couple of days, I will be back before the start of term." 

"What do you plan to do?"

"I merely wish to check something. I will inform you of my findings, if indeed I have any, upon my return." Severus said with finality and made to leave. 

Dumbledore did not wish to pry. "This is not the end our conversation." He said, making the younger man pause. 

"Headmaster…I'm sorry for my… outburst."

"I have no intention of hauling you over the coals about it, but you must understand the seriousness of what you just did. If a pupil had seen you…

Dumbledore paused for affect and Snape couldn't help but feel like a child. 

"If you wish to go, I suggest you leave soon, you only have a couple of days to get things in order for the start of term." Dumbledore said in an indirect reminder of his responsibilities. 

Snape inclined his head. 

~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~

The tiny house in Lincolnshire served its purpose. It was somewhere to live out of term time and had enough dungeon space for an adequate potions lab beneath. The garden was mostly overgrown, providing nettles and weeds for potions. There was a small, cultivated patch, only ever tended during in the summer. It was damp and cold inside. Only living there for a couple of months a year, it never occurred to him how uninhabitable it would be in winter. He didn't spend that much time above ground as it was, you just couldn't buy a dungeon without a house on top. He felt more like he belonged in the cold and damp of a dungeon, no luxury, nothing to make it overly pleasant. 

The Snape estate lay empty; he had inherited it upon the death of his parents, his sister having already married into a wealthy family. 

He had no plans to stay here, but it was already late in the evening. He had work to do back at Hogwarts and a duty to perform. But there was something that he had to know. How could the young man, that had watched Florence go on the Hogwarts Express and felt positively miserable, have then lived for so long without her? 

~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~

"Sirius?" Florence stood in the doorway of his room and peered in at the dark-haired man who was packing a smallish travel bag with the clothes he had worm during his visit. He looked up with a ready smile which increased when he saw who it was.

"Florence, hi! Just doing some last minute packing." He grinned sheepishly. "Actually, I'm doing all my packing." He gestured to the small bag and she smiled. He'd always packed light.

"I just came to give you a hand. Have you got anything that needs doing?"

"I'm almost done but you could walk me to the entrance." He said, as if he didn't know every secret entrance in and out of Hogwarts. 

Her smile still fixed to her face, she nodded at him and moved into the centre of the room. The accommodation that had been set out for him was a smallish room near the teachers' quarters and was decorated broadly in Gryffindor colours that made him grin when he first saw it. A large bed dominated the middle of the room and Florence was surprised to see it neatly made.

Sirius grinned at her surprise and put her out of her misery. "The house elves came in earlier. I haven't changed my bad habits, don't you worry!" He grinned at her and she chuckled.

"I hope you changed a few of them, Sirius, after all the things I remember from school!"

"Ah, well. My harem disapparated when I was put into Azkaban." The shadows behind his eyes seemed more pronounce for a second but he smiled to soften the blow of the words. "Well, we'd better be getting me out of this castle. I'm expected back at home in a couple of hours!"

Florence nodded and led the way out to the Entrance Hall. 

When they had reached the huge doors that separated the school from the outside world, she stopped and gave Sirius a big hug.

"Woah! Easy there. I'll be back here soon and I'm sure you'll want to come and visit me in the near future. Yes?" Florence nodded at his words and his features relaxed into an easy smile. 

"I'm gonna miss you." She whispered in his ear.

"I'm gonna miss you too! Owl me, OK?"

"Oh, I will!" She stepped back from his muscular frame and, with one last look around, Sirius swaggered out of the entrance and away from Hogwarts.

~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~

Florence decided that she should see Severus; things needed to be sorted out. She racked her brains for anything to say as she stood in front of his door. The thing was, she didn't know what she wanted to tell him, let alone how to say it. 

It didn't matter so much when she got no answer from him. Perhaps he didn't want to see her, or was working in his lab. _He did say he was working on something… and he hasn't really had a chance all holiday._ She went to the classroom, and walked inside. The door to his lab was on the left at the back of the room. She knew his stores were the other side from her little foray into his collection of potion ingredients a few of days ago. She got no answer when she knocked though and the door was locked.

Severus wasn't at supper that evening. Florence stopped Professor Dumbledore on his way out of the hall. 

"Excuse me, Professor, do you know where Severus is?"

"I'm afraid he has gone home, Florence. I do know that he will be back in time for the start of term." He saw the look on her face as she processed the information. "Would you like to join me for some tea in my office?" He asked, thinking it was about time he had a proper chat with his Defence Against the Dark Arts Professor, and find out just what was so special about this woman.

~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~

"Am I to take it that you found something?" Professor Dumbledore looked at the obsero-box on his desk next to his ham sandwiches. 

"I need your help." Snape stated, not answering the Headmaster's question as it appeared pointless to do so. 

"There must be something dangerous in here if you go to the trouble of using a obsero-box. Where did you get this by the way, it's one of the biggest I've seen." Dumbledore peered around the ornate wooden box with intrigue. 

"There is." He again ignored the chattier aspect of their exchange. "Dangerous to me, at least. Would you examine the contents for me; see if these things contain any magic?"

"Of course, Severus, but I would like to know why you feel you cannot do it yourself."

"I fear these things contain magic which effects me… My judgement."

"Tell me what is in the box." Dumbledore didn't want any surprises. 

"A robe and a note." Snape said, the simplest truth. 

"If I am to do this for you Severus, I need to what you are afraid of, what made you suddenly think these objects effected you, what are their significance?"

Severus sighed and sat down. This old wizard knew more about him than anyone and he had just made another request for information, a request Snape couldn't deny him, he owed him almost everything.

"I received the note the day after I left Hogwarts, It lead me to meet with a group intended to become Death Eaters. I was wearing the robe the night I was initiated." He hoped that was enough, already feeling like he had thought about it too much. The feelings provoked when finding those things had frightened him. The intrigue that he still held for the darkness, the precarious knife-edge he had not realised he was living on.

He had gone to his attic, in the small dwelling, where the things were hidden, filled with confusion over his youthful actions. Upon finding them though, he had understood completely. The fascination the note stimulated, the unwavering knowledge that he had done the right thing in meeting them, in becoming a Death Eater. What could be more important than understanding all that power contained within darkness? Why embrace the light when the opposite held so much control? He had come away feeling satisfied, he knew exactly why. Yet on his way out, it faded, other things became important, the curiosity and thirst getting lost in a multitude of new things. The trip suddenly had purpose. It was no longer just a 'root about and see if anything presents itself', something had, something very confusing indeed. 

A lengthy trip to Diagon Ally had followed; the obsero-box had been expensive but necessary. Very rare and difficult to get hold of, he had gone from contact to contact, making enquiries and getting suggested one person after another. The box would block all magic from reaching the contents, or any magic from emanating past it's walls from within. Snape had returned immediately to Hogwarts and Dumbledore's office. 

"Am I to presume that proximity to them affected you?" Dumbledore asked, his aged face arranged in an expression of deep concern. He had the distinct impression that he would not willingly get any more information from his Potions Master.

Snape nodded once and stood. "I have marking to finish before the morning… If you will excuse me."

"Of course, Severus, I will endeavour not to keep you waiting long… Oh, and Severus; Professor Findal asked after you, I told her you had gone home for a couple of days, I hope that was alright."

~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~

The piles of marking had taken hours, other thoughts at the forefront of Severus' mind. The presence of a House Elf at his door at well-gone three am took him by surprise. 

"Professor Dumbledore wishes to see Professor Snape, Sir." The diminutive creature said with more enthusiasm than should be aloud at such a late hour.

Severus often wondered how the Headmaster knew he would still be up and about, and not be annoyed for having been woken. "You are lucky I had yet to retire." Severus said to the old wizard before him, allowing a note of impatience in his voice, where perhaps he should have left alone given the circumstances. 

Dumbledore took no notice; he just set out to explain what he had found.

"You were right Severus, the note did contain magic." Dumbledore said slowly and thoughtfully. "But I must make it clear that it did not force you to do anything, it is nothing at all like Imperius. I believe it simply changes your priorities. Any thing that means anything to you is pushed aside in favour of other aspects of your character, aspects that would make _you_ more susceptible to the Darkness. Your curiosity, desire for knowledge and even your talent for emotional detachment.

Dumbledore watched Snape absorb this information. 

"The robe however contained nothing. You entered that willingly, at least as far the evidence I have would indicate." 

~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~

A/N: Thanx for reading! We're guessing, as you've got this far, you HAVE actually read it…

Thanx to Cygnus, Becki, Starlight and Polgara for your lovely reviews – we can't get enough of them!


	13. With or Without You

Chapter 14: With or Without You

Disclaimer: We don't own anything apart from the obvious, which we'll leave you to work out.

The subsequent month snailed past. The revelations following Severus' trip to Lincolnshire did little to ease his conscience. A pattern seemed to develop; days spent terrorising children, foul moods, sleepless nights, and when he did sleep it was haunted and short-lived. The dreams rarely left him alone for long, but it was worse now: he would wake, cold and sweating, knowing there was sanctuary just four floors above him on the other side of the castle. He could still see her when he closed his eyes, still taste her and remember her scent. He could feel the texture of her robe bunched in his fists and her warm flesh against his. She made him feel like a better person, like someone else, someone good. He did not deserve her. She did not want him there, she had made that clear, and, even if she did, he had nothing but nightmares to offer. 

It was the same every night, finally getting up somewhere between one and four am, unable to bear lying there any longer, dressing and prowling the corridors until dawn when he would consider breakfast and start another repetitive day.

Florence led in bed, not sleeping. Her thoughts had a tendency to stray inexorably to the dungeons and to Severus. Twice she had walked down there to him since the day he left after her outburst, and twice turned back at varying distances from his rooms. Part of her wanted to ignore her better judgement, ignore the things he had done; for just one night, curl up next to him, keeping him warm. But then, even when she was with him, he often could not stand to stay in bed with her the entire night. Florence knew his sleep was troubled, had witnessed that for herself. She had suffered from nightmares but had never been as affected as he seemed to be. 

~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~

"Is it me or is he being extra mean today?" Owen Cauldwell whispered to Kevin Whitby and was met with a quick nod. 

"You're right! He's having a right paddy. His head will probably explode before this lesson is through!"

"SILENCE!" Owen and Kevin turned pale but, from years of practice, met Snape's glare, albeit a little nervously. He moved towards their cauldron and looked into the swirling blue mixture but, as he couldn't fault it, his face twisted more. "15 points from Hufflepuff for whispering!"

He turned away from the group and Owen quickly scrawled on his notebook and tapped it with his quill to draw Kevin's attention: _What would he rather us do? Shout?_

Kevin smirked a little but, knowing the worse-than-foul mood Snape was in today, he left well enough alone. 

Dennis Creevey stood over his cauldron staring at the container of Devil's Claw in his hand._ Is this meant to be put in next?_ Making up his mind, he leant over the bubbling mixture.

"Are you sure you want to be putting that in next?" Snape leered over Dennis head and he jumped, sending the Devil's Claw all over Snape's robes.

Snape turned an alarming shade of purple, just as his robes turned an equally alarming shade of shocking pink and Dennis blanched, backing away from the irate Potions Master.

"Uuuh... I'm sorry, sir. It was an accident..." Dennis felt the hard cauldron behind him and his heart sank. There was no escape. Everyone had turned to look at the by-play, wanting so much to intervene but knowing better. 

__

Yep. His head's definitely gonna explode now, thought Kevin.

"YOU MORON!" Snape yelled. "YOU ABSOLUTE IDIOT!" 

Dennis ducked a little as a wave of exasperated spittle flew in his direction. He looked around the room for assistance but only found a mass of anxious faces peering back at him. Dennis felt time stand still as he waited for his judgement and Snape didn't disappoint him.

"100 POINTS FROM GRYFFINDOR FOR SHEER STUPIDITY! GET OUT!!!" Snape pointed to the door aggressively, his long finger wavering only with the force of his rage.

Dennis sped towards the door and out of the classroom, eager to be free but was disheartened when Snape followed him out, his pink robes billowing behind him.

"Interesting attire today, Severus!" Flitwick hiccuped as he trundled down the corridor. He stopped, shook his head and muttered something that sounded like: _Really got to stop drinking so early in the morning_, before continuing along the hallway.

Snape ignored him in his anger and led Dennis by the robe up to Dumbledore's office. He knocked harshly before pushing Dennis in ahead of him. 

"Professor Snape. I wasn't expecting to see you this morning!" Dumbledore looked at Severus' robe through his half-moon spectacles before removing them and cleaning them on his beard.

His eyes twinkled with amusement as he looked down at Dennis. "What happened?" He said kindly. 

Dennis recited the whole lesson from his point of view adding all sorts of details that made Snape scowl fiercely.

"…then he spat at me, sir…" Dennis stopped as Snape advanced on him. 

"That will be all, Dennis. Professor Snape, could you leave us now? I'm sure you have lots of important things to do…" Dumbledore's eyes rested on the pink of Severus' robe and he fought to hide a grin. 

Snape grunted and swept out of the office back to his neglected lesson, but not before stopping for a change of clothing!

Dumbledore turned back to Dennis. "Never mind; we all make mistakes!" The Gryffindor sighed loudly at the headmaster's words. "While I cannot reinstate your house points, I see no reason for you to be here…" 

Dennis stood stock still in amazement.

"Which means you can go back to Gryffindor tower now." Dumbledore hinted and the young boy backed out of the room, leaving the headmaster smiling behind him.

Snape stormed back into the classroom, opening the door with a mighty crash that made some of the students drop their ingredients in fright.

He turned to the shocked students…

"Unlike you to leave a class unattended, Professor." 

Snape whirled round to face the owner of the mocking voice. Florence stood next to Laura Madley, obviously coaching her about her potion. He snarled at her and advanced causing Laura to cower slightly. Florence rested a hand on her back and faced Severus calmly.

"All hell was breaking loose down here; I could hear it from the Entrance Hall!" Florence smiled at him.

"Can I speak to you outside, Professor Findal?" Snape hissed and, without waiting for a reply, stalked out of the room. Florence followed him at a slower pace, after shrugging reassuringly at the pupils' concerned faces.

She shut the door gently behind her and gave Snape an expectant look that only seemed to rile him more. She couldn't help but notice the dark shadows around his eyes, pronounced even more by his sallow complexion. 

"Reading Potions papers makes you an expert now, does it?" He said snidely.

"They were only fourth years, Severus. I don't think I was completely out of my depth." 

Snape, too angry to stay still, started to pace up and down the corridor. He stopped abruptly to say: "Don't you have anything better to do than annoy me? This is _my_ classroom and _none _of your concern!" before returning to his aggressive stride. He wanted her to go, he couldn't bear to be this close to her. He wanted to hold her to him and shut his eyes, denying that the rest of the world even existed, but he wasn't allowed. 

"I beg to differ! Classrooms with rowdy children and potentially dangerous, volatile potion ingredients is every bit my concern, as a teacher." She retorted, still in a calm tone of voice.

Snape huffed. "Well, they're not unsupervised anymore, so you are not needed here. If you'll excuse me…" He strode back into the now silent classroom, leaving Florence with an overwhelming urge to stamp her feet and squeal. 

"Oooh!" She said to the now closed door and stomped out of the dungeons in a rage.

~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~

Florence rubbed her aching hand after marking what seemed like the millionth essay. She should really try and set more interesting tasks! Diagnosing her cup of tea as lukewarm, she groaned and heated it up with the tip of her wand. It never tasted the same though.

She stretched her arms up and tried to massage her shoulders, leaning her chair back in the process and thought back to the last couple of weeks. Her mind, without assistance, typically wandered back to Severus and she wished that she could batter it into submission.

She had never seen him like he had been with Mulciber. He had seemed out of control… but in control. Florence sighed, shaking her head. It just didn't make sense.

She'd seen a side to him she was afraid of seeing again. He'd scared her with his fury and she wondered what would happen if she set a foot wrong? Would he behave that way with her?

She shook her head again. _Why was she thinking these things? _She and Severus weren't even speaking, let alone anything else. 

And what had he meant by what he'd said? _You ruined it, didn't you? Took away the life I wanted, the life I could have had!_ What had Mulciber done? He must have done something truly terrible… He'd certainly been capable of terrible things at school. She shuddered, thinking about that awful incident in Diagon Alley.

And then Severus had just taken off for a couple of days without a word to anyone but Dumbledore. What was he up to?

Well, as he'd said, it wasn't her concern. Florence got back to her marking, trying to ignore the niggling thought at the back of her mind.

~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~

"Ouch!" Harry rubbed his forehead, trying to stem the pain.

"What is it, Harry?" Ron asked worriedly.

"My scar..."

"Not again! You don't think Voldemort's close, do you?"

"I don't know, Ron."

Hermione traipsed down the corridor, towards the two boys with a large pile of heavy books. She could hardly see over the top of them.

"I've found some more books on Quidditch but I don't see how they would help. I also have the some on the World Cups for the last hundred years-" She saw Harry rubbing his scar and stopped mid-sentence. "Is your scar hurting again, Harry?"

"No..." Ron said sarcastically and Hermione threw him an exasperated look. Ron looked at the spines of the books she was holding and tried to take one from the middle. "Where did you get this?! I've been looking for one of these for ages..."

Hermione sighed and moved away from Ron taking the books with her. "Where do you think, dufus? The library, of course."

"They have these in the library?" Ron tried to make a grab for the Quidditch Yearbook again and missed.

"We're getting off the point here." Harry interrupted. "Did you find anything on Terence Higgs?"

"Nothing that we didn't already know. He's on the England squad; the next World Cup is in Australia. Have you got your tickets yet?"

Harry and Ron froze; their eyes fixed on something over Hermione's shoulder.

"I hope those books are for the essay that is due in for my class tomorrow." Snape growled and Hermione nearly dropped the books on Ron's foot.

"Err..."

"10 points from Gryffindor for loitering!"

Harry, Ron and Hermione moved quickly down the corridor towards the Gryffindor common room before Snape could take off anymore points.

Huffing slightly with the speed that the group had travelled, Ron collapsed in a chair by the fire once they had reached their common room.

"How does he do that? He ought to have a bell tied around his neck!" Ron chuckled at the thought but something clicked in his head. "Hey! Did you see Snape much around Christmas?"

The other two shook their heads.

"I reckon he went somewhere. To do something..."

"No kidding!" Hermione looked at Ron derisively and Harry laughed.

"Keep that look up and you'll rival Snape!" He ducked to avoid a book being thrown at his head. 

"I didn't see Snape much. He was there at Christmas but around New Years?" Hermione ignored Harry and shook her head. "I wonder where he went..." She sat down, a pensive look on her face.

Harry clicked his fingers. "That could be why Sirius was acting so strange!"

"What?" Hermione looked up in surprise. "Sirius was acting strange?"

"You didn't notice? He was being all secretive and you know he was supposed to leave just after New Years? Well, he didn't, did he?" A smile slid across Harry's face as things began to slide into place.

"Yeah, so?" Hermione was still in the dark.

"Do you think Snape's behind this and Sirius is trying to catch him?"

"You think that every year..." Hermione mumbled sarcastically and Ron glared at her.

"Err... no, Ron. Despite how horrible he is, I don't think Snape is behind it this time." Harry smiled.

"Well... what's the significance, then?" Hermione looked over at Harry, an impatient look on her face but he wasn't listening. He was staring at his hands deep in thought, mumbling something to himself.

He got up suddenly and ran out of the common room, shouting, "That's it! I've got it!"

Ron turned to Hermione and said, "I knew that too many books'll fry your brain!" before they followed Harry out.

~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~

Authors' Notes:

Thanks to everyone, especially Starlight (who unknowingly gave us inspiration for this chapter title!). Also, big thanks to: kbear, Fiery Clover, Polgara, Cygnus and Becki who write lovely lovely reviews for us that make us smile and squeak.

We love you all! And don't worry – they'll be back together soon!

Love

Martha and Squirrel.

xxx.


	14. Conundrum

Chapter 15: Conundrum

Disclaimer: we don't own anything recognisable as J. K. Rowling's, we just enjoy writing about it and don't want to make anything from it.

~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~

Severus opened his door to see the aged figure of Albus Dumbledore outside it, smiling a small smile at him.

"Good morning, Severus."

_Yes, you might think so,_ Snape though to himself. "Headmaster." He acknowledged. 

"I was wondering if you would like to join me for a walk in the grounds…?" 

"A walk?" Snape raised his eyebrows, what possible use could there be in walking nowhere in particular for no particular reason.

"Yes, Severus, I'm sure you know the concept. Getting some fresh air, not simply spending your time hiding from the sun and waiting for the night, so you can prowl the corridors." Dumbledore took in Snape's tired face and dark eyes. 

Snape got the impression that this was a command rather than a request. "Very well." He stepped out of his rooms and followed the old man out of the dungeons. 

They walked around the circumference of Hogwarts' large lake, every now and again there would be a tell-tale ripple in the water as the giant squid moved one of its gigantic tentacles. Severus was not a big talker unless he was yelling at an unruly student or under the influence of Veritaserum, so any dialogue was painstakingly prompted by the conversational skills of Dumbledore. The Headmaster's concern over the well being of his staff was always at the back of his mind and he recognised the importance that all his Professors' were kept as content as possible. He'd suspected that Snape would never be really at peace with himself, let alone be content with his life, and had therefore settled for providing him with as much as he could in the way of scope for research into potions; seemingly his only passion. 

Dumbledore had been reflecting on his decision to hire the only other thing that seemed to have ever had a good effect on Severus Snape. Just a few weeks ago they had sat together in his office. Severus had been blind and yet he had trusted her to look after him where he had refused point blank all others. Florence had seemed so completely in tune with him, the subtle movements she made to make things easy for him without it being obvious that she was helping him, any lesser a wizard that Albus Dumbledore would likely not have noticed. 

Now Severus had seemed to retreat totally into hibernation again, only emerging to appear at meal times and to teach, a state Dumbledore hadn't witnessed him in since he had first employed him. Unable to get work anywhere else and Hogwarts in desperate need of a good Potions Master, Severus Snape had seemed the ideal choice. And he was certainly perfect as head of Slytherin House. Severus had found it very difficult to cope with the nightmares and the ghosts of his past that haunted him wherever he went, but things had improved after a while. Now Dumbledore was worried about him and questioned just how wise his own decision to hire this woman had been. Perhaps he hadn't fully anticipated how dangerous it might be to open up some of Snape's old wounds.

The conversation soon dried up. There was only so long you could force someone to talk without straying onto the weather and Dumbledore just wasn't that desperate to hear Severus speak.  

Something had to be done though, Dumbledore decided to give things some thought and see what he could come up with during the week.

~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~

"Severus, Florence. I've brought you here because I need your help." Professor Dumbledore had always been a good actor and now, making use of that talent, sat fidgeting with his hands in his lap. A plate of honey sandwiches sat half-nibbled on his desk.

Severus looked over at the ageing headmaster in concern; he'd never seen him look this worried. Dumbledore had called Florence and Severus to his office on a matter of complete urgency and so Snape had rushed up here straight away, with no idea of what he was going to find.

"Professor?"

"I believe that Voldemort is planning another comeback. All the signs point in that direction, though your blindness was the most obvious so far."

Snape nodded and Florence just sat in silence, her eyes imploring the headmaster to continue.

"But I have no idea at the moment of what he is planning. I wish you to do what you can to find out what he is planning, if he is planning anything. Both of you have had first-hand experience with Voldemort and so I believe you can figure it out."

Severus looked over at Florence who was deliberately avoiding his eyes. She was staring fixedly at Dumbledore, a pensive look on her face.

"And you have no clues whatsoever?" She finally spoke. 

"Well, I know that Voldemort has left Britain and has ventured east to hide until he regains his strength, but that is more or less all I know. I think the best place you can start is to find out why Severus was made blind." A visit yesterday from Harry had prompted him to take action. Harry was having problems with his scar and seemed to think that Dumbledore would know what was going on due to odd events around Christmas that the boy had interpreted in the most logical way he could

Florence nodded at his words. "I'll do the best I can."

Dumbledore looked over at her and saw the determination in her eyes. She wasn't going to work with Severus without a fight. "I had hoped that you two would work together. I always find that two heads are better than one." He couldn't resist the honey sandwiches anymore and picked one off of the plate to nibble.

"But, Professor-" 

"I think it would be for the best." Dumbledore addressed Florence firmly.

Snape nodded, for once giving in without arguing. He could see the wisdom behind the professor's words. He got to his feet and nodded briefly to Dumbledore before stalking out of the room.

The headmaster offered the plate of sandwiches to Florence but she shook her head and followed Severus out of his office.

Dumbledore leant back on his chair and nearly rubbed his hands together in glee. Not only had he found a way of finding what Voldemort and his supporters were up to, he'd figured out how to bring Florence and Severus together again.

They were made for each other, even if they were both too pig-headed to see it, and shouldn't let the past come between them and spoil what happy future they could have.

~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~

The Hufflepuffs shuffled uncomfortably in their seats as Florence walked between the tables collecting the essays she had set two weeks ago. Despite the fact that every one of them had done the work, they must not have felt very confident about their end result. 

Their Ravenclaw counterparts, however, handed the parchment to her confidently, obviously assured of their intellect.

Florence smiled at every pupil in-turn when she had reached the front again, happy that she had had no missing homework. 

"Right! We're starting a new topic today - one of my favourites actually – the sphinx. Now has any one heard any interesting facts about this creature?"

A couple of Ravenclaw hands reached towards the ceiling and she selected one at random. "OK, Cosmo. What's your fact?"

The blonde boy blushed a little at being asked before speaking loudly and clearly. "Well, sphinxes have a lion's body and a human head."

Florence listened carefully before smiling in approval at him. "Very good! How about you, Virina?"

"They ask riddles!" The tall, black-haired Ravenclaw answered with a wide smile as Florence nodded at her.

"And what happens when you answer the riddle incorrectly..." She looked around the class and selected a Hufflepuff that looked like she knew the answer but was scared to tell. "...Lorna?"

The small, red-haired girl gulped and her face went bright red. "Err..."

Florence willed with all her might for the second-year to answer and it worked. 

"Err... you get eaten up."

"That's right! Well done!" At Florence's words, Lorna's face split into a smile and she heaved an audible sigh of relief that made her blush even more. "It seems I don't have to teach you much at all, which saves me a job!" Florence winked at the pupils and they smiled back at her. They were one of her favourite classes and she really enjoyed teaching them.

Turning back to the blackboard, she began chalking some notes up for them to copy down. 

"I'm sure you know the riddle the sphinx in Ancient Greece told? What is it that has one voice and yet becomes four-footed and two-footed and three-footed?"

A couple of heads nodded and Florence was pleased to see that a few Hufflepuffs knew it. "Well, I have decided to set an interesting homework for tonight." The pupil's ears perked up a little; hopefully interesting didn't mean essays! "I would like you to think up your own riddle for me! I would like it in next Monday, please."

The pupils noted down the homework in their notebooks and started packing away as the bell went. Florence sat behind her desk and drew the newly handed in essays towards her. She was just trying to find a quill in her drawer when she noticed a pupil standing on the other side of the desk, waiting to talk to her. She smiled up at the young Hufflepuff and he blushed. 

"What is it, Alex?" 

Alex shuffled his feet a little before clearing his throat. "Well... I thought..."

"Yes?"

"Could I get some help with this essay that I just handed in? I didn't think it was very good and I just... well, I just wanted some help." The words came out quickly and in a very tiny voice so Florence had to strain her ears to hear him.

"Of course, Alex! Could we meet up another time though? I have another class in a couple of minutes. How about tomorrow lunch time, in here?"

Alex nodded eagerly. "Thanks, Professor Findal! That would be great!" He almost skipped out of the classroom to join his friends.

~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~

Florence made her way slowly down the dungeon staircase later that Saturday morning. She had decided that morning that she would have to see him; how would they work together otherwise?

Dumbledore was either being obtuse by putting them together or he was being too shrewd for his own good. Even so, there was no chance, no matter how much she wanted it to happen, of her and Severus getting back together. They would just work on this project like professional adults and then she would leave.

She knocked on the heavy oak door of Severus' rooms and took a small step back, waiting for him to answer. He took a long time about it and when he opened the door, she almost gasped at the fierceness of his appearance. 

"Yes?" He said rudely and his dark eyes narrowed at the startled look on her face.

"Err..." She shook herself out of her reverie. "I was wondering whether we could talk over that project Dumbledore set for us to do, this morning..." Her voice sounded more brusque than normal as she tried to hide her feelings.

"I was going out to collect some Dragon's Bane from the Forbidden Forest, so we'll have to leave it until tomorrow." Severus looked down at the woman in front of him and knew that he couldn't bear to be in close proximity with her for long. He had to escape. He pushed past her, slamming the door behind him, and stalked down the corridor.

"Oh. I'll come with you then!" Florence followed him, matching his fast pace - anyone would think he was trying to get rid of her! If they had to work together, it was better to get it over and done with. No point in procrastinating.

Severus could have cursed her to high heaven but he kept his mouth shut, preferring to keep silent. He kept quiet all the way to the forest, only speaking when it was required.

Florence kept close behind him, despite the fact that she had been in the forest many times before. It seemed as spooky by day as it did by night and she didn't want to take any chances.

"Ah... Severus Snape. You have returned again to take advantage of the bounty of the forest." A sorrowful voice came from behind them and Florence jumped.

Snape glared at the red-haired centaur that had wandered into the clearing. He nodded curtly at the being. "Ronan."

"And who is this?"

"Florence Findal. I'm a professor up at the school." Florence stepped forward, her hand reached out to shake Ronan's but the centaur ignored it.

"Hmm..." Ronan mused. "The ascension of Jupiter was unusually large last night."

"You'd think they'd have better things to talk about." Snape muttered under his breath but Ronan ignored him and stared blindly at the sky, despite the fact it was day.

Snape marched on through the forest, not bothering to talk to the centaur again. Florence, after hesitating briefly to call farewell to Ronan, followed him along.

Snape stopped abruptly when he reached the small flowering plant that grew in the middle of the forest and Florence, lost in thought, slammed right into his back, causing him to jerk and knock his head on a low branch. 

"Oomph!" 

Florence gasped and apologised and Severus turned around to glare at her, still in obvious pain from the cut that had formed on his head. 

She paled, looking almost abstractly at the line of blood that was trailing down his forehead before waking up sharply as it reached his eyebrow. He touched a finger to his head and groaned.

"Now look what you've done!"

"Me?! It's your head!"

"Yes, but if you'd been paying attention, then this would not have happened!"

"Oooh!" Florence almost stamped her feet and Severus suppressed a smirk at her childish display. "Just get your damn plant and we'll go!"

He scowled down at her and picked a few handfuls of the annoyingly cheerful looking yellow plant that almost smiled mockingly up at him.

He stood up, and turning, realised Florence was stood right next to him. _Merlin! _She was close enough for him to smell her. It wasn't anything in particular, which had always disconcerted him; she just smelt of… Florence. If he just moved his hand he would hardly have to reach out to touch her. 

Florence watched him stand and take her in, his eyes flashed and she saw him twitch a little, the cut on his forehead had already stopped bleeding and started to dry up. She impulsively reached up to touch him without thinking. He drew back as though frightened of her. She was surprised and couldn't keep it from her expression. 

"Sorry," She murmured, lowering her hand. Florence didn't want to intrude on him and had probably been stupid to think she was allowed. She shouldn't have even followed him out here; he had been sufficiently short and rude with her to let her know that he didn't want her anywhere near him anymore. She supposed she had been right before Christmas – He was friendly when it was convenient for him. Severus was happy to be with her when he needed looking after or wanted comfort sex, but was fine without now that he could take care of himself again. She sighed and shrugged her shoulders, turning to walk out of the forest and back to the castle, she didn't think she was in the right state of mind to try and work with him, despite it's importance. She was too weak.

"Flo." He might not want to foolishly start anything he would ruin, but he didn't want her to look like that either. He watched her stop but not turn to look at him. 

"What?" She hated the nickname, but she couldn't when his voice pulled it off so well. She would listen and go, whatever it was it had better be worth her time or she might as well have stayed in her office marking papers. She focused on a tree about twenty yards away and for no immediately obvious reason, wondered how old it was.

He put his hand on her shoulder and she inwardly beet herself up over her undeniable rise of emotion. 

"Don't go." Florence sagged on the inside, but outwardly remained still. She stood unmoving and waited for him to say something else. He didn't, he just stood behind her with his hand resting on her shoulder. 

_Why in hell did Dumbledore hire her? _Severus thought. _My connection with her cannot simply have drifted out of his head._ He had found some sort of existence at Hogwarts. Granted, he hated children and he hated teaching, but it was a living and he had a respectable potions lab in which he work on what he liked. Severus got through, he worked, he ate, he slept and occasionally didn't sleep. But then she was there and it was like his life was all wrong and he was unable to do anything at all right. 

They were so close. Severus could almost feel the warmness coming off of her and longed to hold her. He could just slip his arms round her waist; it would be so easy. He dropped the few flowers in his hands and did so. He was instantly rewarded by her soft warmth and pressed his nose into her hair to breathe her in, ready to enjoy just a few seconds of contentment before she pulled away. There was no one else he'd ever just held, no one else he'd ever wanted to.

"I'm sorry… I can't help it." He breathed gruffly. Holding her almost made it worse. The floods of emotions feeling almost like weights threatening to crush him. Severus clung to her, the knowledge that this sense of completeness was likely not to last very long as she would realise that she couldn't bare to be with him, not after what he'd done. She would get upset again, he couldn't stand the thought and wished they didn't have to work together. It was so difficult.

Florence felt herself inwardly cave completely and moments later found herself turning her body to hug him back and lifting her face to kiss him. 

Severus kissed her as gently as he was able, so anxious for her to know how he was feeling; trying to communicate without words just what he felt for her. 

She didn't want it to end because when it did there would be questions to be answered, or just insufferable silence. While it lasted though it felt like finally getting home after a long journey. There was no one else she could get this lost in, stood there, eyes closed and lips locked. The whole world was dissolving around them like an oil painting doused in turpentine. 

Lips breaking apart, he held onto her, willing her not to pull away, delighting in the fact that she was holding him back. 

Eyes closed so tightly that they almost hurt; Florence fought the waves of emotion and confusion, pushing her face into his collar and swallowing hard to stop herself from welling up. _Please tell me what you're feeling_ Florence mentally begged him. She had no idea if he had feelings for her or weather he was just exerting his power over her in some kind of cruel display that he could have her whenever he wanted no matter what he did or what she said. 

He so desperately wanted to tell her how he felt, but what would be the point when he would never get those feelings returned? Not again. And even if he did, what would the words be worth; she didn't know him, what he'd been and what he'd done. 

A/N:

Hiya. We hope this chapter doesn't disappoint anyone. 

We are just starting Exams so the chapters might come out a little slower that our normal snails pace! 

Oh well, we'll try and keep up, after all, you've got to have your priorities in order as Ron Weasly so wisely reminds us! 

**Tegan:** Yay! a new reader. Thank you for your review, it makes the writing worthwhile!

Martha and Squirrel. xx


	15. We think that we've tortured them enough...

Chapter 16 – We think we've tortured them enough...!

Disclaimer: We do not own anything that you recognise as J.K. Rowling's. We DO own Heather and all the weird pupils!

~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~

That week over Christmas had been one of the best of Severus' life. He'd been able to hold her, kiss her and make love to her. He'd fallen asleep with Florence in his arms, their hearts beating so close together.

Now they were stood in the forest, holding each other, neither willing to let the other go and neither having a clue what to say. Florence felt so much and wished she could just feel nothing. Severus would have been willing to stand there forever, but he knew life wasn't that kind. He had made far too many promises and broken them all.

"I said I wouldn't leave you again and I did." He said in a rush, breaking the silence.

The words brought Florence out of her own thoughts. _You said that?_ That wasn't the sort of thing she would just forget. Florence frowned into his neck and racked her brains. _"I'll never leave you again."_ She could hear his voice saying the words but couldn't place it. It seemed like the illusive sort of memory you have of a dream… _"I'll never leave you again."_ It wouldn't get clearer in her mind no matter how many times she repeated it.

"I'm sorry." His voice was low and faint, so nearly a whisper. 

__

"I'll never leave you again." It crashed back to her and she loosened her grip on him, pushing back a little so she could look at him. That's why she'd woken up in bed with him the night he'd gone blind. He'd got in to comfort her. She'd been drifting in and out of her subconscious too much to properly remember. 

Florence realised that she was blinking stupidly at him and shook her head a bit to try and clear it. 

"Maybe we shouldn't work together." He said, a brief flicker of embarrassment crossed his face before he masked it. 

"And that would just be letting Dumbledore down." She said slowly and almost sadly. "We have jobs to do as well as feelings to contend with." Florence felt such an enormous wave of melancholia; it was all she could do to keep herself from just sitting down in the dirt of the forest floor and bursting into tears. _You're pathetic!_ She told herself, realising that she had probably cried more tears within the walls of Hogwarts than she had in the rest of her life put together. She took a deep breath and tried to find some sense of composure. 

"You shouldn't have feelings for me."

__

Would someone just bind my mouth shut?!! Florence could have kicked herself. "And you think I would have if I could chose?" _Might as well just get things out in the open, _she thought, _Feel free to trample me, I'm wide open!_

Florence and Severus each seemed to look expectantly at the other for what felt like an age before they both tried to talk at once. She smiled wanly at him and they waited for the other to start, encountering the same problem again. 

She wrapped her arm back round him and stretched up on her toes, letting him know that she was going to speak into his ear. "Shall we go back to the castle, where it's warmer?"

He nodded slowly, brushing their cheeks together, almost in a nudge. They walked back to the edge of the forest, Severus with his arm around her, not letting go until they were back within view of the castle. 

As they walked back up the stone steps a feeling of selfishness seemed to set in. Why couldn't he just let alone? Severus was sure that he would hurt her again, he knew it and didn't think he could endure the prospect hanging over him. Florence didn't deserve it, she should have someone that was capable of treating her properly, not him, who would just inconsiderately take what he wanted leave her with some sort of misguided idea that he was doing her a favour. 

He followed her to her rooms; she let them in and cleaned up has forehead before making them tea. He felt self conscious and unsure of what to do with his hands while she attentively and delicately healed the gash.

Their situation had needed dealing with for a long time and Florence-

"I shouldn't be here, you don't want-"

"Severus" She cut him off and got up hastily to stop him from leaving. "We need to sort this out, I can't work with you while I'm so mixed up." _He must be having a field day with all your emotional revelations! _ A voice in Florence's head scolded her.

She was stood right in front of him, physically preventing him from being able to leave. _Sort this out?_ It would really help if Severus knew what she was thinking. Did she want him? Was she annoyed by what he'd done in the forest or just confused? Did she want to be left alone?

"What do you want?" He asked her; there was no other way to find out and he had no desire to make a fool of himself. 

__

What??! You have to be kidding me! You want me to lay out my feelings, tell you I want you to stay with me so you can crush me good and proper? "I…" What was she supposed to say? "I want to know what you want." It sounded lame and pathetic, but it was the only thing she could think of. Florence saw a flash of anger cross his face, before he just looked defeated. 

Surely he couldn't just spill out the truth. He wasn't sure life would be worth living if she sent him away. As long as nothing was said there was hope. 

Florence watched his as he stared at her. "I'm sorry that was –"

"Fine…!" His hand twitched; he ignored what she had started to say. "I want to be with you every second. I can't stand knowing you're over here and I can't come and be with you. I hate myself… being around you is so difficult, I just want to hold you." He seemed to pause for a moment "Flo I –" 

"Then stay." She impulsively reached out to hold him by his shoulders.

"You want me to?" 

Florence nodded, not wanting to actually say 'yes'. "Stay, be here with me, and don't sneak away when I'm asleep." 

"It's not that easy." He looked pained.

"Why not?" Florence had to know. Severus pulled her to him and lowered his head onto her shoulder. "Tell me." She commanded into his lank black hair. 

The nightmares made everything so difficult, he'd just think he'd got around the demons when they would be back without warning. When he was with her and they came he just wanted to leave, and when he was away from her he just wanted to run to her. But how did he tell her that?

"I don't know how." He had to though, he owed her that much. 

"You don't know how to tell me or you don't know how to stay?" 

"Both" 

"All you have to do is not leave. If you want to be here so much…"

"I do… Believe me." Severus didn't want to make more promises that he wasn't capable of keeping. "I don't want to tell you I'll stay because I might not. It's so difficult when I…" 

"I know you must be troubled…" _Could have phrased that better!_

"Help me," Severus requested. "Keep me here… Sometimes I just can't stand it; they make me think I'll hurt you more if I stay. And when I'm not with you all I want is for you to be there and take it away."

"Just know that I want you here. Know it and stay with me." She really did want him with her. "I'll comfort you all you want, just don't go." 

They remained like that for a long time. 

"Shall we go to lunch?" 

Severus had to shake himself out of his thoughts. 

~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~

Dumbledore sat at the head of the teacher's table in the great hall. He was happy to see Severus arrive with Florence for lunch. Florence looked subdued but relaxed and Severus looked severe as always, but they were together and didn't look too uncomfortable.

When Florence sat down she wished for the first time since she had been back at Hogwarts that her place at the table was closer to that of Severus. 

~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~

Florence awoke abruptly to the sound of a sharp tapping at her window. She peeled back the curtains and released the catch allowing Tizane entrance and the impatient owl circled the room before coming to rest above the foot of the bed. She dropped something on Florence's toes before swooping back out of the window.

Shivering slightly with the draft, Florence shut the window again and leaned towards her toes, trying to retrieve the letter without leaving the warmth of her blanket but without success.

"I'll have to get up sometime today..." she mumbled, still a tad drowsy from interrupted sleep. Severus had woken her up a couple of hours ago, when he had left reluctantly to get a change of clothing. Winding the bedspread around her, she picked up the letter that had fallen on the floor from her fruitless attempts to grab at it and studied it with bleary eyes.

A smile spread slowly across her face as she recognised the long-awaited owl from Heather and she ripped open the wax seal with excitement.

Dear Florence,

It's great to hear from you and the fact that you are well is super. I'm glad to know that you're working at Hogwarts. How is the old place? I bet it looks exactly the same! And is Dumbledore still the headmaster? I love that guy! 

I'm doing fine down under. Just discovered a new charm but it's all hush hush so I don't think my colleagues will appreciate it if I told you too much about it. It is fab though!

Weather is great as usual – you know, hot hot hot! Don't think you'd recognise me now – I'm so brown! You have to come and visit me soon; maybe after your job finishes? I'm actually thinking of coming back to England. There's supposedly a new opening in the Ministry for a Charms researcher and I really miss that British weather! Oh, I suppose I miss you too!

Speak to you soon,

Love,

Heather.

xxx.

P.S. Really looking forward to your next owl!

Florence read and reread the letter, before folding it back up and putting it into the small beaded letter case that sat on her bedside table. She jumped slightly when she looked at the clock that sat next to the box and scrambled out of bed, her feet getting annoyingly tangled in the sheets. If she didn't hurry, she'd be late for breakfast!

~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~

Seating herself comfortably behind her desk, Florence sat at the front of the classroom, waiting for the students to come flooding in. She played absent-mindedly with a quill, stroking the soft downy feather with one hand, before scratching some quick notes on the parchment in front of her.

Although still confused about her feelings about Severus, she felt a childish urge to scratch their names in a heart on the table and inwardly berated herself for her foolishness. What would people think if they saw 'Florence Findal loves Severus Snape' scored on her desk? – they would think she was mad! And she didn't really want to risk another rebuke from Mr Filch.

The old caretaker obviously still remembered her when she was at school, and knew that she had been friends with James Potter and Sirius Black and that was enough of a reason to hate her in his eyes – he'd despised people for less.

"Good Morning, Professor." 

The first of the students were entering the room and Florence smiled pleasantly at the Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws. They all looked slightly nervous, which confused her until she remembered what she had set them for homework; they all had to make up a riddle similar to that of the sphinx.

Covertly rubbing her hands together, she waited until the rest of the class arrived before she started the lesson.

"Good Morning, class! I hope you are all well."

Someone muttered something about just having had Snape for Potions first lesson and Florence grinned mischievously at the Hufflepuff before continuing. 

"Now, I set you some interesting homework last lesson and I'm gonna ask a couple of you to read yours out. The rest I will take in." 

A couple of the pupils groaned but the rest looked up at her with nervous expectation. Florence saw one small boy who looked like he was itching to tell her his riddle.

Humouring him, she asked him to tell the class. "Dmitri? What's your riddle?"

Dmitri Ladislas smiled cheekily up at her before telling his riddle in a loud, accented voice. "What is the longest word in the English language?"

A couple of the students groaned but others just looked across at the Hufflepuff in confusion. Florence perched on the edge of her desk and waited, looking at Dmitri expectantly.

"Smiles." He looked around at the class but there were still confused faces. He enlightened them. "Because there is a mile between the first and last letters!"

The rest of the class either groaned or giggled and Florence joined in before quietening them down. "Very good, Dmitri. 5 points to Hufflepuff. Now, who shall I pick next?" The students' uneasiness returned in full force at their professor's words. "Lorelei?"

The brunette Ravenclaw sat taller in her seat and took a large breath before beginning.

"What is at the beginning of eternity,

The end of time and space,

The beginning of the end

And the end of every race?"

She smiled triumphantly at the confused faces of her classmates: the Ravenclaw's were thinking too hard – some were murmuring about time and space and astronomy; while some of the Hufflepuffs were writing the riddle down, trying to figure it out that way.

A victorious shout from near the back of the room revealed that someone knew the answer and Florence smiled encouragingly at Alex Erhard as he stood up to put the class out of their misery.

"The letter 'e'." The Hufflepuff smiled at Lorelei, the riddler, and she blushed slightly before nodding.

"Well done, Alex! 5 points to Hufflepuff for getting that one right! And..." She turned to Lorelei Henderson. "5 points to Ravenclaw for a great riddle!"

Florence watched as Lorelei turned back to face her, reluctantly dragging her eyes from Alex Erhard, and she smiled gently at her, remembering her first crush. That was a long time ago.

Feeling suddenly very old, Florence moved on to the next person. "Sarah?"

"What runs about all day and lies under the bed all night?" The pretty, blonde Ravenclaw showed her perfect white teeth in a smile that had most of the boys drooling on their desks. Florence smothered a smile.

"Professor Flitwick?" A couple of boys near the back guffawed and Florence looked at them disapprovingly.

An angry voice came from the seat behind Sarah and Lorelei Henderson spoke up. "A shoe." The face that was smiling just a second ago was frowning now and Florence was bewildered until she spotted Alex Erhard drooling with the rest of the boys. Poor Lorelei.

"Very good Sarah and Lorelei. 5 points each." Florence's award didn't seem to placate the Lorelei but Sarah smiled winningly.

"I think we have time for a couple more. Chris?" She urged the black-haired Hufflepuff on.

He cleared his throat. "What grows bigger the more you take from it?" he said quietly and Florence could see his hands fidgeting nervously under the desk.

His girlfriend, the equally quiet Nasima, smiled kindly at him and spoke up for the first time in Florence's lessons, answering the riddle with ease. "A hole."

"Very good." Florence encouraged. "10 points for Hufflepuff."

"Hey!" She heard a voice whisper at the back and smiled. "We're gonna win back all of those points Snape took away! How cool is that?"

"That's Professor Snape, Cosmo." She corrected and the Hufflepuff blushed. "Right. Last one. Joel?"

"The man who made it did not want it; the man who bought it did not use it; the man who used it did not know it." The words were said casually as the Ravenclaw leaned back on his chair in a relaxed stance. He showed no sign of nervousness and Florence found herself reminded of Sirius when he was a boy.

This time Florence didn't know the answer so she shuffled herself so she was sitting fully on the desk and frowned in concentration, repeating the riddle again.

Joel looked satisfied that he had beaten her and the rest of the class looked at their professor, willing her to get it right.

"Hmmm... That's a hard one. Let me see..." Florence chewed her fingernail in an unconscious habit and you could almost see a light bulb turn on above her head. A smile lit her features. "A coffin, Joel! How morbid!" The class grinned at her. "10 points for Ravenclaw for nearly catching me out!"

Florence hopped off the desk and stood in front of the class, her hands on her hips. "Now for some more serious stuff." 

The class groaned and she grinned as she moved towards the board and started writing some notes down.

~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~

A/N: Thanks to everyone for reviewing! We really appreciate your support and encouragement.

Bad news though: Our IT Administrator bloke at school has filtered 'fanfiction.net' off of the school network (probably because we go on it and check our reviews instead of doing work!) so it's going to be even harder to post! We'll try our best though!


	16. We can't think of a chapter title!

Chapter 17: We can't think of a chapter title!

Disclaimer: We do not own any of J. K. Rowlings characters (who take up the monopoly of our fanfic); we're just borrowing them!

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Four warm fuzzy nights huddled together in each other's arms, sleeping wrapped up in one another, so trusting, so personal. And the mornings steadily improved; he'd stay and leave with her for breakfast. He would arrive at varying times in the evening when his marking was finished or simply walk back with her after dinner. 

The fifth night, Florence was woken by Severus scrabbling away from around her. She tried to hold onto him in her half-asleep state and failed. 

"Severus!" She said clearly and firmly, groping her way out of bed after him; it just seemed to panic him further. "Severus, look at me." She tried to hold him by the shoulders. 

"Let me go!"

"Listen to me." She was unyielding. 

"I can't do this… I…"_ Don't deserve you, don't deserve this. _

"Hear what I tell you, at least do that… You said you would try to stay and I said I'd help you." She tried to make him look at her face, but it seemed that all his energy and focus was simply going to staying put for a few more moments. "I want you to stay here." Florence tried to step closer to him, but Severus wouldn't let her. Her pleas to him were making the words ever more real to herself. "Please Severus." She stopped trying to make him look at her. "Please don't go, not after everything." Florence knew that she was getting increasingly emotional and had to try to calm down, she needed to be the strong party in this. 

"Come on," Florence whispered, finally succeeding in getting closer to him, bringing him into an embrace. 

She guided him back into bed and cradled him in her arms. He was shivering uncontrollably. Florence rubbed his back in slow repetitive strokes. 

"Flo" He muttered into her neck after several minutes.

"I'm here." She said softly in comfort. 

They must have led there for a good half an hour before he finally stopped shaking. Florence realised how tense she was and forced herself to relax, all the while maintaining her reassuring strokes on his back. In the sudden calm Florence became aware of just how wet he was, his nightshirt soaked in panicked perspiration. 

"Severus?" She whispered tentatively.

He made an acknowledgement sort of sound into her neck.

"Come on," She shifted herself underneath him and, turning to face him, unstuck a few strands of hair from his face. "I'll run you a bath." 

She crawled to the edge of the bed and waited, letting him know that he should follow. He did, with hardly a sound. 

She had run him warm bath-water complete with customary bubbles and lit a couple of candles so they only had to stand dim light after they'd been accustomed to the dark of the night. He felt the water level rise and her legs slip down beside him, one each side. He didn't know how he felt, half of him just wanted to hold and be held, the rest longing to run. He shouldn't be getting comforted; he didn't deserve it. "What are you doing?" He hadn't meant to sound so harsh, but had done all the same. 

"I don't want to leave you on your own." She said, her voice hushed.

They washed each other; it was silent and had a feeling of comfort and solace for both concerned. 

When they got out, she conjured huge bath towels, fluffy and warmer than room temperature. An hour and a set of clean night wear after her awakening, Florence finally settled back into bed, finding herself being gathered back up. She had never slept like this with anyone, always preferring her own space, but when she fell asleep on him, he didn't roll her away and, if he drifted off first, she didn't have the heart to sneak out of his arms. The peace he sometimes achieved on his face, as he led with her robe clenched in his fists, was too much to refuse him.

They awoke in the morning like they had every other and she made no mention of the night's events. It had been so good up until then and she prayed it would be a one-off, unsure if she would cope very well on a regular basis. 

~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~

Florence had no class to teach last thing on a Friday afternoon, so she would go back to her room and read while she waited for Severus to make his appearance after he finished work. 

Easter was almost upon them and Florence would have been hard pushed to say where the time had disappeared to. She'd been back at Hogwarts almost two terms! 

She let herself in and filled the teapot; the hour between then and the end of the school day would pass reasonably quickly. Florence had rather taken to utilising this time to read the potions papers that Severus received. She hated the thought that she couldn't properly discuss with him something that he was obviously so passionate about.

Things between them were good (perhaps better than good if she was honest with herself); there would be the odd disturbed night but they dealt with it and got on with their lives. She enjoyed working with him, even if it was on a task that she would rather deny needed to be worked on. 

Their weekly meetings with Dumbledore were becoming a little embarrassing though. They had so little to report. The feeling that there was definitely something fishy going on behind the scenes in the wizarding world was clear enough but actually placing it was something else. She and Severus both had a tendency to disagree with the headmaster over keeping Harry Potter so well and truly in the loop over things concerning Voldemort, although she was sure that their reasons were very different. She had a plan that would definitely turn them up some information, but she wasn't sure that it was the right time to leave Hogwarts - or Severus - just yet.

Kicking off her boots and taking her socks off, Florence poured herself a steaming cup of tea and parked herself down on the bed with Severus' most recent mail. She gathered the bulky pillows up behind her and settled back, bringing her knees up and resting the papers on them. 

She had been right, the hour flew by and at the end of it she was suitably confused and ready for their customary Saturday morning of questions and answers. Sometimes Florence was certain he enjoyed it, others she wasn't so sure. More often than not it would result in an argument over something petty that had nothing to do with potions and was of no importance at all; they would eventually realise what they were doing and eat lunch. 

Blasted Harry Potter! Severus Snape was putting his life on the line for the wizarding world before that little upstart was even born, and yet he got every last ounce of credit for Voldemort's downfall. What had he really done? Nothing, jack shit! His mother had saved him and caused Voldemort to have his own spell backfire on him the first time, with her idiotic Gryffindor bravery. A little bit of lucky coincidence over their wands had managed to get him out of trouble and eventually get Voldemort scuppered the second time. And, yet again, Severus Snape had stretched his neck out so far for the common good and got absolutely nothing. Now the bloody icing on the cake was the revelation that Sirius Black was getting the Order of Merlin for bringing in Marcus Mulciber. Who'd had to suffer a week of perpetual blindness? Not Sirius Black that was for sure. No, he'd just popped out one morning to piss up some trees and come good!  

Florence heard the door open and looked up, realising that she had only drunk half her cup of tea and the rest of it now had a dubious looking film floating on the top. She set it down on her bedside table and gave Severus a welcoming smile. 

He scowled and sat on the end of the bed to take his boots off. Florence could see the tension visible in his shoulders and knew what caused it; his seventh year Gryffindor and Slytherin class. They didn't make him like this; he made _himself like this over them. She crawled to the end of the bed and sitting behind him, put her legs around his lean waist. Parting his hair at the back of his neck, she kissed its nape. He stopped, halfway through unlacing his second boot. Florence knew she could relax him and smiled to herself, tightening the grip of her legs on his sides, enjoying the feel of his firm body pressed to her inner thighs, her nipples and lips starting to buzz happily, she fiddled with the buttons of his high collar. Severus sighed, before giving in to her not-so-subtle persuasion._

~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~

The imprisoned mole looked at Severus forlornly as he took it down off the shelf. It was about time Snape carried on working on his private project and now was as good a time as any. Levitating the jar above the floor, he picked up some odd-looking potion ingredients before exiting the storeroom and moving towards the cauldron that was bubbling in readiness in the next room.

"Right. Let's get you out of there." He muttered, more to himself than the animal, as he disapparated the glass container that surrounded the mole. The mole just looked dazedly up at him and Severus wondered briefly, _how could a creature this small cause Hagrid so much trouble?_

He added a couple of ingredients to the mixture and scooped some up in a small ladle.

"Drink this." He said but paused as he heard a voice from the doorway.

"You know you're insane when you start talking to pickled mammals."

Severus' concentration broken, he glared at Florence as she made her way slowly into the room.

"What are you doing?" Her green eyes took in the bizarre scene in front of her: Severus trying to feed grey gloop to a mole that she previously believed was pickled. Weird. Maybe she had unknowingly stumbled across one of his more peculiar pastimes. 

Severus opened his mouth to tell her to mind her own business, but he knew that she wouldn't give up wheedling until she knew; so he found himself telling her all the intricate details of his experiment.

"So, in layman's terms, I'm trying to find a way to make objects move in suspended animation." Turning back to Florence, he smirked at the look on her face.

"And you can do that using a... potion?" She asked, amazed.

Severus just nodded and turned back to the mole, which was looking almost as dazed as she was.

Florence watched, curious, as he spooned the gloop into the poor mole's mouth when she suddenly remembered the reason for her visit.

"How would you feel about me spending a while back at the ministry, finding out what's going on with the Aurors that are on active duty?" The idea had been swimming around in her brain for a while and she knew it would get them results regarding mysterious events going on in the background.

Snape put down the ladle and, after giving her a quick glance, stood the mole up and watched its movements intently. "You think that's necessary?"

"I'm sure I could uncover a multitude of things the ministry doesn't want the public privy to." 

Snape realised that she had put a lot more thought into this than she was willing to share but still thought the idea was a waste of time. "All of which the Headmaster is likely to already know."

"Not necessarily, since the appointment of the new Minister of Magic, Albus is not in the loop as much as he once was. Cornelius Fudge was not half the man he needed to be and that led to the Headmaster being used as his aid." Florence said, as she moved to a work-surface near the front of the room and perched on its edge.

"You really think they will know anything useful? The Ministry of Magic is nothing but a sham." Snape ducked out of the room as Florence felt an overwhelming urge to throw gloop at his head.

"Excuse me, but I happen to still be employed, and was trained, by that sham!"

The mole briefly forgotten, Severus returned to the room and focused his tunnel-like eyes on Florence's face. "Contrary to what you might think, you are now part of a much more elite and effective team. Dumbledore does not appoint just anyone. You may be aware that he has been offered the position as Minister of Magic on numerous occasions and yet has chosen to remain here. Here he is not restricted by the public's demands nor is he such an attraction to the press. He can, however, surround himself with powerful and resourceful wizards and witches - who do not essentially need to be savoury characters - ensuring that he can clear up after the Ministry and save as much face for British politics as possible. Not to mention the safety of the population." 

"So, you are trying to tell me that I now work for some secret organisation which works independently from the ministry and reports to no official body, in essence, Albus is a law unto himself?" Florence jumped off the worktop and began to furiously pace. _Why was he contradicting everything she said?_

"Precisely, it is the only way things work, the public are kept happy because they believe that they have their democracy and they can sleep soundly in their beds at night because the likes of Voldemort and others that would be like him are kept from the power they crave. As much as I don't like it, and wish that the system we British hold so dear could actually work, we do not, unfortunately, live in a perfect world."

"I hear what you're saying Severus, but I really don't see how it could hurt to poke around a bit. Besides, my position here is not necessarily permanent; I was appointed only to take the place of Hogwarts' normal DADA Professor. He comes back and I will have to return to the sham from which I came."

"Where do you think the esteemed professor Leggett really is?" Snape ignored the deliberate dig and scowled when he thought of the friendly Irish professor. 

Florence turned to look at him questioningly. "What are you getting at, Severus?"

"In the world of Hogwarts _Business of a personal nature can mean anything from; 'my pet frog just died' to 'secret mission to keep an eye on some dark and dangerous foe'. I do not know if Albus has indeed sent him off somewhere, I am not privy to everything, but it is certainly more likely than him owning a pet frog."_

"How certain is Albus that Voldemort is planning a comeback?" Florence cut straight to the chase and Severus admired her for saying the name. Not many people, even around Hogwarts, said it. 

"If Harry Potter is involved then he is deadly serious. The boy has links to him that no one else can lay claim to. I would expect that the Headmaster's first inclination was from talking to Potter." Severus had no desire to share with her the fact that his own little link to the dark lord had the annoying tendency to tingle every now and then, a sign that strength was being gathered. Luckily it was still faint, not the clear defined mark it would become if Voldemort did rise to full power again.

Florence fell silent. Maybe now was not the right time to talk about it, when he was in the middle of something important. But, even if he was against her going, her mind was set and there was no changing it.

~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~

A/N: The first thing we have to say is, despite Marvin the Mole being given something to drink in this chapter, we are totally against animal testing!

**Luna Wolf: You poor thing, not having the Internet at school for anything but research! You have our sympathy. Squirrel has a riddle book that some of the riddles came from, but others came from an encyclopaedia.**

**Starlight: Don't worry! This is not the end. There are at least a couple more chapters to come; Martha has 'em all planned out.**

Luckily, we didn't get in trouble in the 'Restricted Access Fanfiction Extravaganza'. Phew! *Squirrel rubs the back of her paw against her forehead* Thanks for your concern!

**Lyra Lupin: YAY! We always new reviews, especially when they are nice like you were!**

And to the rest of you lovely readers: we love you all and all compliments will go straight to our heads (in a nice way!) so please review!

Martha and Squirrel.

xxx.


	17. Torture

Chapter 18: Torture

Disclaimer: This all belongs to JK Rowling. We own nothing but the plot and we might have stolen that when our conscious minds were out for a walk… no infringement is meant, we don't want a tiny little thing from this, we just like writing about the characters and the stuff!

Wow long disclaimer! 

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Pink bunnies, yellow bunnies, longhaired bunnies and shorthaired bunnies. It seemed every single kind of rabbit was littering the Great Hall, either bouncing around the ceiling or snuffling its way down each of the long tables.

A couple of Hufflepuff girls were cooing over a collection of snow-white bunnies that were munching at their eggs and Snape felt a scowl settle over his features. _Of all the silly, idiotic things to have at the Easter Feast…_

Florence, instinctively feeling his hackles rise, grinned over at him. She stroked a tawny-coloured rabbit that sat in her lap.

Severus' eyes lowered ominously at the innocent animal and Florence felt her grin widen. A couple of brave bunnies were making their way towards him and were trying to snuffle at his hand.

He tried to swipe them away but to no avail. Eventually giving up, he passed them along the table to Professor Flitwick who was surrounded by them, all chewing on his robes.

"Ooh! You naughty things!" He was squeaking and another rabbit, which was being tickled by Hagrid, pricked up its ears and moved down the table to join its friends.

Dumbledore stood up to make his speech; his robes were festively decorated with Easter rabbits. He laughed as he dislodged a cheeky rabbit that was balanced precariously on top of his hat.

Once he had finished, Snape quickly made his way over to the Slytherin table to stop a group of 6th years from turning a rabbit into a slug and feeding it to an anxious Hufflepuff.

Harry watched as Snape swooped down on them like a horrible vulture and carried on picking restlessly at his food. 

"I hope we don't get any of those special 'rabbit raisins'." Ron commented, looking up at the ceiling in paranoia.

"Ewwww… Ron!" Hermione screwed up her face in disgust and poked him.

"Ouch!"

Harry ignored his two friends bickering, thinking instead about the horrible things that he knew were to come and the pain in his scar. He was interrupted by a small sniffle that came from his other side. 

"Is your toad still missing, Neville?" Harry looked over at him in sympathy.

Neville just sniffed and nodded.

"You'll find him!" Hermione chipped in. "I'm sure Trevor will turn up soon."

Neville just dissolved again and Hermione shook her head and patted his shoulder.

Harry looked over at the Slytherin table where a group of particularly nasty ones were pointing and laughing at Neville's distress. He was definitely _sure_ they had had something to do with it.

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__

Severus,

I've taken that little trip we discussed, I shouldn't be away too long. I hope this is as fruitful as I expect otherwise Albus will think we're useless. 

See you soon,

Florence. x.

__

I shouldn't be away too long? What did that mean? A few hours, a few days? It had sounded horribly like days when they had talked about it but he had assumed this trip would be _way_ in the future. If Severus were truthful to himself, he had hoped it wouldn't be necessary at all. He could see where she was coming from though; they needed to look like they were at least getting somewhere on this. And his reasons for wanting her not to go were wholly selfish ones; he hadn't slept alone in over two months. The only parts of his dungeons in use were his library, study and lab along with his classroom. His bed lay damp and idle. 

He left her rooms, not wanting to stay there alone. 

~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~

Snape heard rowdy voices in the Slytherin Common room on his way past. He stopped and scowled at the door that was hidden in the wall. The voices did not subside. He was hit by the realisation that he had neglected them for some time. They had likely got used to getting up to whatever they liked, he usually ruled strictly over them, but had spent so much time out of the dungeons recently that he not been present to keep them in check. With just a few of them there and no lessons to keep them busy, there was no telling what he might find.

He let himself in, the head of house not needing to use a password. He walked into the long thin room, the ceiling just high enough for him to stand. The common room was dull, just enough light offered by the green lamps hanging from the stone ceiling to see. 

The fire crackled on one side of the room. The Slytherins that were staying for Christmas seemed to all be gathered around it, jeering and shouting, egging on whoever the ringleader was. Snape walked silently up behind them, not one person in the group heard his approach, as he got closer, he could pick out what they were saying, their voices full of such glee.

"Stretch its legs,"

"Give it boils!"

"Or maybe," Said a low silky voice from behind them "You should give it to me." Snape added his own suggestion, his voice demanding compliance. 

Every one of the group jumped, startled by Snape's unexpected presence. Guilty looks spread across their faces and then their eyes widened with fear, knowing full well that they were doing something very wrong. One of them put down his wand and picked up a barely alive toad off the mat in front of the fire. Snape took it and did a quick head count of those sat around the fire.

"I _will_ be back. If even _one_ of you is missing when I return things will be_ much_ worse. I advise that you all stay put." He strode out of the room.

As much as he disliked Longbottom, the gibbering fool, there was no excuse for torturing the boy's toad. Snape knew that Longbottom usually returned home for the holidays, so took the toad to the hospital wing and then went to find Minerva McGonagall. She had an office high in the Transfiguration Tower, looking out over the Quidditch pitch. Severus strode down the corridor, taking his time; he wanted to make the Slytherins back in the common room really sweat. He rapped on her door and heard her sharp Scottish burr say "Come in". Then when he entered; "Ah, Severus, what can I do for you?"

"Am I correct in my assumption that Longbottom has gone home for the holidays?" 

"Actually, I was surprised that he asked to stay this time. It turns out that he lost his toad and didn't want to leave the castle in case it returned only to find him gone." 

Snape raised an eyebrow at the sickening sentimentality of the boy. "Well, you can have the pleasure of informing him that his toad is in the hospital wing."

"The hospital wing?" 

"It turns out that some of my Slytherins thought it would be fun to practice their torturing skills." Professor McGonagall watched the look of disgust that crossed Snape's face. "I should really get back them."

"Thank you for letting me know, Severus." Minerva trilled. "I will see Neville immediately." She bustled out from behind her seat and followed Snape out of her office. 

He stalked back to the dungeons and was happy to see that no one had attempted to seek away and avoid punishment, they all knew better. He didn't like taking points from his own house, but wasn't about to let this go. He made no attempt to hide his asperity and gave all of them two weeks of night-time detention with Mr Filch, which would likely make _his_ Easter. They all looked very sorry for themselves. He knew better than most that they weren't sorry for what they had done, only that they had got caught. It made his job very unrewarding. There was still a week of holiday left. Snape decided that a few random visits to the common room would be a good way of reminding them that they were still every bit answerable to him. He had been left with the distinct impression that they now thought they could get away with anything. Goodness knows what other plans they might already have in motion.

~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~

Sneaking down into the restricted section of the library was becoming a habit, Harry thought absently. And a rather dangerous habit at that!

He pulled the invisibility cloak more firmly around him and stepped over the rope that obstructed his entry. Lifting the lamp up high to read the spines of the books, he searched for the correct subject. He was very careful not to open books until he was sure of what they contained; he had had bad experiences with books screaming and shouting at him and alerting Filch to his presence.

Harry's face straightened as he concentrated on his important task - he knew Voldemort's followers were finding a way for the Dark Lord to rise again, but how?

He ran his finger parallel to the books, looking for a book on 'rebirth', 'reincarnation' or 'rising again' but was disappointed to find none of the books filled the criteria. Moving deeper into the restricted section, a large book that was covered in deep blue and gold swirls caught his eye. He moved towards it, intrigued.

Picking it up, he studied the writing that was on its cover; "ASCESA" was written in looped gold script. He did not understand what it meant and wished that Hermione was here – she'd know. He opened the book carefully, reflexes at the ready just in case it attacked him but it didn't; the words just spun around the page, before settling into alignment.

It looked like a list of Potions ingredients; dragon's spittle, unicorn bone and other strange elements that Harry knew were hard to come by, but he was still intrigued.

He copied down the potion on a piece of parchment that had been pushed inside his robes and quickly replaced the book, before slowly exiting the library.

Moving around the corner quickly, he nearly bumped into Professor Snape who was striding down the corridor. He halted quickly and held his breath, not wanting to get into trouble, especially not with Snape.

Snape seemed to be lost in thought but, even so, he looked as though he knew someone was there. 

Not wanting to take any chances, Harry rushed in the opposite direction and returned to the Gryffindor common room to tell his friends what he had found.

~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~

__

Merlin! It was cold in the dungeons. He had revelled in it at one time, in a way he still though it was all he deserved. But when he was with Florence he could be warm, because she deserved it. He momentarily questioned his own sanity and reasoning, but his determination not to have a fire won out in the end. Perhaps he had let himself be tempted too much. He had been so happy in the last couple of months, when he really belonged down here in the cold. 

The first night alone in the cold was difficult, Severus had got so used to sleeping with Florence curled up with him that sleeping on his own now felt as alien as attempting to settle down outside in a frost, and when he did finally drift off it wasn't the kind of sleep he had wanted.

He seemed to have returned to his old habit of prowling the corridors at night. The moon was bathing the stone floors in a blue-ish white light. Severus took his time; he could skirt the entire castle quite thoroughly in two-and-a-half hours. He knew the building remarkably well but, even so, he would occasionally discover a new corridor, passage or room that had seemed to elude him, previously. Severus was positive that this place hadn't given up all its secrets to any one person. 

An inexplicable draft seemed to brush past him. Severus paused still, quite sure that there was someone there. He had been so absorbed in his thoughts though that he hadn't been quick enough to react. 

Potter. He would be out snooping around under that invisibility cloak. Severus decided he would have another word with Albus. This entire thing about keeping Harry Potter involved with the fight against Voldemort was just leading the boy to break rules and wreak havoc. If things kept on like this, he would think he was outside the law in every walk of life just because of his name and the fact that he owned an invisibility cloak. 

He scowled at his surroundings a little, making sure that the boy was aware of his disapproval, and then carried on. His thoughts always drifted inescapably back to his lack of Florence and his aimless wanderings brought him subconsciously to her empty room. 

As he let himself in, he wondered why he was doing this. Walking into the room that he associated so much with her and there being no one inside to greet him was a depressing reminder that he had to live without her for an indefinite amount of time. He had no date to aim for when he knew she would be back. He could go to see the Headmaster and find out if she had said anything about missing term time, but that would be admitting that Florence hadn't told him herself. 

He sat down in one of the armchairs by the empty fireplace and made tea. It was so much more pleasant up here than in his rooms, but then he had no one else to blame for that but himself. It was warm even without the fire lit and all the things she had around the place made it innately hers. Being there made him feel closer to her. There was that underlying smell of her everywhere, if he closed his eyes he could see her. Severus really didn't want to be there without her, he didn't want to be anywhere… that was the problem. He should probably just go; this wasn't doing any good.

He got up swiftly, annoyed with himself. Just what was he doing there? Severus had no desire to sleep there because it wouldn't be the same without Florence, and he didn't want to sleep in the dungeons because… she wasn't there either. He had subconsciously started to pace and had to make himself stop. Severus had once found it so difficult to stay with her; now, he was so used to having her there to soothe him that without her he felt lost. One really didn't realise what one had until it was gone. He often felt horrible for wanting to be with her so much when he had done things he never wanted her to know about. But it was becoming easier to accept what she was offering, take the support she gave and let it take the pain away. 

Severus was always amazed by her lack of tidiness. She hadn't even made the bed before going away. He could appreciate someone not bothering if they were in a rush one morning but to go away for more than a day and leave your living space in such a state… He was about to make the bed when he realised that she would probably scoff at him. Florence had a very clear line of reasoning as to why there was no point to making the bed and he found it very difficult to argue with. She was very satisfying to argue with because she didn't back down from him. 

Severus sighed, seating himself again, this time on the edge of the bed. There was a lump under the bedspread and he shifted to have a look what it was. He stuck his hand under the blankets and pulled out the offending item. Severus found himself in possession of one her sack-like bed robes, crumpled and rolled in a tight ball, he tried to straighten it out; the sleeves were all in the wrong way and sticking out the neck hole. He sighed, exasperated with her disorganisation. Why he felt the need to fold her night-clothes was beyond him. She would either giggle at him or not notice and put it to be washed or, even more in character, throw it on the floor and just get a clean one. 

It smelt good though, her scent still strong and even more so to his good sense of smell, an important thing for anyone good at potion making. That smell was so many things to him and the floods of mental imagery were surprising. Florence asleep, the soft weight of her body on his as she breathed quietly in and out. The way her body seemed the perfect shape to hold. Florence marking papers in the evenings and moaning about her third year classes. Florence naked! And Florence laughing, usually at him. Hugging her and the soft mass of her hair, the way she liked to walk around with bare feet and her love of these rather fantastic garments.

It struck him how odd this would seem to anyone. The Potions Master sneaking into the DADA Professor's rooms while she was away and sniffing her night-clothes. He got up, determined to leave, pausing by the door to go back for the robe.

~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~

A/N: 

Thank you sooo much for all the wonderful reviews! We love you all loads! J 

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Becki: Thanks for the riddle! We think the answer is "a towel". Martha got it straight away but Squirrel (who's a little bit dopey!) took a bit longer. 

Sorry about your computer being all silly! Good luck in your exams! We've got them coming up so we're a little panicky too!

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Starlight: Sirius isn't a double agent. We might do a spin-off with him and Heather so we DO hope he doesn't turn out to be a bad guy! 

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Lyra Lupin: Thanks for the suggestions for chapter titles – we always find thinking them up the hardest bit!

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kbear: Thanks for reviewing! And being nice about our weird chapter titles... J 

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	18. Mischief

Chapter 19: Mischief

Disclaimer: We own none of this, just enjoy writing about the characters and stuff!

~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~

"Bishop to G4!" Dumbledore chuckled as the piece in question bashed Snape's knight to bits. 

The battered knight moved slowly off the board, while Snape glowered at it as if it was its fault. "Castle to C2."

Dumbledore smiled to himself and stroked his beard, thinking about his next move and musing over the past hour.

Severus had been wandering around the corridors and Dumbledore, noticing his behaviour, took it upon himself to distract his old friend. "Fancy a game of chess?"

Ordinarily, Dumbledore found it easy to win a game of Wizard's chess, but knowing Snape's heart wasn't in it, it was a piece of cake, a large piece of juicy fruit cake.

Feeling his stomach grumble, he paused the game to call a House Elf. "Anything for you, Severus?" 

Snape shook his head without looking up from the board, trying to focus his thoughts.

"Queen to C2" Dumbledore made his move and took a large bite out of the cake. Fawkes flew over and nibbled at the crumbs on his plate. 

Snape looked at the bird in disgust.

"So, Severus, how's your potion-brewing at the moment?"

"It's going rather well, thank you. The first trials were a success."

"Good good. And your project with Florence?"

"The opposite." Short, succinct and to the point, leaving no avenues for the headmaster to take. Dumbledore sighed and cut another piece of cake.

"Oh dear." He said. "Have you not found anything out at all?"

"Very little, sir." Severus made his move and Dumbledore's eyes lit up slightly as an idea occurred to him.

"Where's Florence these days?" He asked, knowing perfectly well where she was, but wanting to see Severus' reaction and his take on the recent events.

Severus looked up from the chessboard, and although he hid his amazement well at the question, Dumbledore knew him too well to know that he wasn't surprised.

"She's doing some research at the ministry." Snape said grudgingly. 

"Ah, a fine idea." Dumbledore said. "I trust you approve of her plan?"

Snape harrumphed; his eyes were cast down at the board. "Mmm."

The headmaster stifled a grin; he had found the problem. Severus was obviously missing Florence, and was restless for exactly that reason. He was in love with her but either didn't know it or was refusing to admit it. He was too proud for his own good and Dumbledore thought it would do the world of good for him to fall in love and have someone to rely on… perhaps Severus had never really fallen _out_ of love with her…

"Severus..." Dumbledore started speaking again but was disturbed by a small knock on his office door. "Enter!"

A small girl with reddish-brown hair and sparkling green eyes entered and opened her mouth to speak. She paused when she saw the Potions Master and paled a little.

"Ah, Isabelle. Do you have a message for me?"

The small girl turned back to the headmaster and nodded, smiling a little. "Madame Pomfrey sent me, sir. She wants to see you in the Infirmary as soon as possible, sir."

Dumbledore's eyes brightened and a smile spread across his face. "Thank you, Isabelle." He said and the small girl left the room.

He turned to Severus and smiled, apologetically at him. "You don't mind if we postpone this game for now, Severus?"

"Of course not, sir." Severus got up from his seat and followed the headmaster out of the door.

"Thank you!"

Severus watched as Dumbledore walked down the corridor, noting the spring in his step, and wondered, not for the first time, what exactly _was going on with the ageing Headmaster and Madame Pomfrey. Shaking his head slightly, the Potions Master resumed his stalking of the corridors._

~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~

Severus walked into his empty classroom. The first days after holidays were the longest kind. He noticed something out of place on his desk and walked over to it. 

A small photograph of Florence smiled up at him and then winked mischievously. He couldn't help smiling to himself as he turned it over and there were two words written in blue ink: 

I'm Back 

There was already the sound of noisy children in the corridor outside so he didn't have time to see her before his last class. He scowled as he walked out into the passage to send in the rowdy group of Gryffindor and Slytherin third years. They quietened when they saw his expression and filed into the dingy gloom of the classroom without so much as a whisper, it wouldn't last long though. 

"What a filthy maggot! You know, I'd have thought he'd improve with age but..." Caleb Cavell shrugged at his friend Jack Ivander as he stirred their potion. Jack leant over to pick up some beetles' eyes before throwing them carelessly in the potion.

"I know what you mean! I wonder what crawled up his backside and died! Poor Professor Findal."

"What do you mean _'Poor Professor Findal'? You're not still going on about them going out, are you?"_

"Well, it's so obvious! I'm sure I saw them kissing behind a pillar at Christmas. I'd recognise that greasy head anywhere!"

"Maybe." Caleb looked doubtful. "But... Snape with a girlfriend? That's just gross! And why would Professor Findal ever go out with him? She wouldn't touch him with a barge pole!" A dreamy expression came over Caleb's face as he talked about his favourite professor and Jack snorted.

"And she would like you any better?"

"Uhh..."

"WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?!"

The Gryffindors froze as thy heard Snape's voice nearby but breathed a sigh of relief as they realised he was shouting at Natalie Mortimer, the girl just a few cauldrons down. She was flushed and shaking from Snape's tirade and Caleb felt very sorry for her – she was quite cute when she wasn't sweating!

Jack wiped his hand comically across his brow. "I think we should start working again before the big-nosed bastard catches us..." Jack trailed off as he saw Snape, eyebrows raised, watching him with a look of absolute distaste on his face. He quickly got back to work.

"15 points from Gryffindor." The silky voice floated over and Jack felt his heart sink but he thanked his lucky stars that he didn't get detention. Any more time than necessary spent with Snape would kill him!

Snape surveyed the class of 3rd years with disgust. Didn't they ever learn? He walked through the classroom, weaving through the cauldrons and pupils and stopping briefly to sneer at the Gryffindors and remove points. They all seemed to be watching him as if they knew something they shouldn't and he felt himself get more and more angry and remove more and more points.

As he moved quickly towards a Gryffindor whose cauldron was overflowing, a smirk slid over Devlin Averill's face.

He turned to his fellow Slytherin. "I think it's time. Have you got the potion ready?"

Jared Jagger wiggled the brown potion bottle that was in his hand and smiled crookedly. "Got it right here." He hissed. "Just put it in the cauldron and the effects should start in about two minutes."

Devlin snatched the potion and Jared looked at him warningly. "Careful! Now are you sure that you want to put it in her potion?"

"Yes. That mud-blood bitch deserves a lot more than this!" He said menacingly and, checking again to see if anyone was watching – (he didn't want to get caught!), he poured the gloopy mixture into Natalie's potion and quickly hid the bottle in his robes.

Unaware of anything that was about to happen, the Gryffindor girl stirred the potion. She was still a little upset from Snape's chastisement and didn't notice the sympathetic looks the other Gryffindors were giving her, or the threatening looks the Slytherins were sending her way.

Suddenly, a hiss made her look down and her once blue potion was now a nasty khaki green. _What's happened?! Snape's going to kill me!  She tried stirring the potion again but to no avail. If anything, it looked worse than before and Natalie felt panic rise in her chest._

Snape, alerted to the problem by the dank mist that was filling the dungeons, ignored the coughing of the pupils and moved towards the offending cauldron. 

"GET OUT OF HERE NOW!" He ordered the other students and they happily complied, their hands still covering their noses and mouths to stop the mist infiltrating. Only Natalie remained, but she was unconscious. 

She had taken the full hit of the mist and lay silent on the floor, her face slowly turning blue. Without any more hesitation, Snape magicked a stretcher and levitated her onto it before dashing out of the dungeons, shutting the door behind him – he would deal with the mess later.

Snape surveyed the Slytherins as they stood in the courtyard. Now that Natalie was up in the Infirmary, slowly recovering, it was his job to find out who had tried to kill her and endanger the rest of the class' lives.

He stared into each of their faces, his eyes almost boring holes, trying to see who had done it but he was met with smirks and leers; not a guilty look in sight. But then again, whoever had done this wouldn't be feeling guilty right now.

"Right! None of you are leaving this courtyard until I find out who did it. The sooner you tell me, the sooner we can all go inside."

No one answered. He should have known that Slytherins would stick together. But they would have to stand here until one of them cracked.

It was to be sooner than he thought. From the corner of his eye, he saw Professor McGonagall hurrying over to him and he turned towards her. 

"Professor Snape." She whispered in an undertone so the Slytherins couldn't here. "We've had a report from one of the Gryffindors in your class, Caleb Cavell, that he saw Devlin Averill put something into poor Natalie's potion." Professor McGonagall looked worried.

Snape's face hardened even more and he turned back to the Slytherins. They weren't smiling anymore and Devlin Averill looked rather pale.

"Mr Averill. Would you care to come to my office?" He said it in a mild manner, but his tone of voice belied the pleasantness of his words. "I'll speak to the rest of you later!" He directed at the rest of the Slytherins and they quickly dispersed, muttering.

He nodded to Professor McGonagall as he passed and she hurried away, presumably to talk to Dumbledore.

~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~

Ron rushed into the Gryffindor common room and stopped abruptly in front of Harry and Hermione who were sitting in the armchairs by the fire.

His face changed expressions really fast as he tried to find words to tell his friends something, but all he managed was a small squeak.

Hermione, trying to keep from laughing, asked, "What is it, Ron?"

"He probably got something through the mail from Fred and George again. You're not supposed to eat _anything you get from them, Ron." Harry chuckled._

Ron glared at Harry before speaking hurriedly. "Did you hear? Natalie Mortimer was almost killed and in one of Snape's Potions classes!"

Hermione looked shocked; she had been friends with the girl as they both shared something in common – they both had Muggle parents. "Oh my God! What happened?" 

"Well, the rumours are that some Slytherin put some Death Mist Elixir into her cauldron and the mist sort of strangled her."

"Oh no! How is she?" Hermione looked pale but she saw a strange glint in Ron's eyes. "What is it?"

"It proves the point Snape is after the Gryffindors! He's really gone psycho now!"

"What?!" Hermione screeched.

Harry raised one eyebrow. "I thought we'd sorted it out that Snape was horrible, not _homicidal." He paused. "Well, not anymore."_

Ron frowned but didn't yield. "If Voldemort is returning, maybe he's got some evil power over Snape and he's gonna kill us all!"

Harry and Hermione chuckled and Ron looked fierce. "What?!"

"I think he's been reading too many of those horror novels you gave him for Christmas, Herm." Harry and Hermione exchanged a grin.

Ron sat down, obviously in a huff, and Hermione gave him an apologetic look.

"Look, Ron. This'll cheer you up! We found another way in which Voldemort could rise again!" 

Ron gave her a withering look. "Yeah. Really cheerful."

Hermione gave him a 'look' before continuing. "Well, Harry found all this stuff in the restricted section of the library and it looks really promising." She passed Ron a piece of parchment that was slightly crumpled from being stuffed hurriedly into a pocket.

Ron scanned his eyes over the looped lettering and, still angry with Hermione, handed it abruptly back. "We'd better get a move on then."

~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~

Florence had expected Severus to come and see her straight after the day ended, and then they could have gone to dinner together. He hadn't been at dinner either. She hadn't wanted to ask the Headmaster where he was, for some reason it would have made her feel unimportant. She had returned to her room and, deciding that there was likely a logical explanation, had got ready for bed and conjured up a snack. 

He finally stood outside her door. Severus had been anticipating her return since the moment he had realised she was gone and cursed the bloody students for keeping them apart longer than was absolutely necessary. He let himself in and regarded her for a moment. She was led on her front on the bed with one of those brown bed robes on, _How many of those does she have? Severus thought. He wondered if he should tell her he had been sleeping with one of them… She was eating crackers and cheese, with one leg in the air. Florence turned her head and, pausing mid chew, raised an enquiring eyebrow _

"I'm sorry, I had to contact a pupil's parents and have them sent home." 

_One logical explanation; Check! "What did they do?" Florence asked. She took in his stance; he looked tired and annoyed._

This was hardly the welcome he hoped they would have, but still… "Gryffindors and Slytherins trying to kill each other." He stalked through the bathroom door.

"What's new?" She called after him and he leaned his head through the door to scowl at her, almost ready for bed. 

"You know, they say that cheese'll give you nightmares." He said casually sitting on the edge of the bed next to her. He didn't believe it but it was something to say.

"Nah," Florence waved a cracker in dismissal. "Cheese gives you bad dreams, Nightmares give you nightmares." She explained, popping in another piece of cheese. 

"What's the difference?" He was curious as to what her take on this rather philosophical nonsense was.

"Children have bad dreams and they crawl into bed with their parents, where the dreams wouldn't dare find them. But you're not safe from nightmares no matter who you're asleep with." The chatter had changed to something meaningful without either of them really seeing it coming. They fell silent and she felt bad for ruining their warm, comfortable moment. She sighed quietly and sat up, putting her plate down on the floor. They had never mentioned the nightmares, they were dealt with during the night and that's where they had stayed. 

Florence sat on the bed next to him, she had missed him more than she wanted to admit and there were times when she was away that she had been beside herself worrying about him and almost just given up on the whole thing and come back to Hogwarts. The evening hadn't ended up at all how she had imagined it. She didn't _know what she had imagined, but it hadn't been this. Florence shivered, despite the fact that the room was warm. "I missed you." She stated simply, able to think of nothing that was more appropriate to say. _

He got up and lifted the bed covers, getting in and holding them up for her to follow. Florence let herself sneak in beside him and, closing her eyes, she nestled her face into his chest and breathed in that familiar smell. 

"You didn't say goodbye before you left…" He sounded hurt, "I didn't know how long you were going to be, we hadn't even talked about it." 

Florence shifted uncomfortably on his chest. She would be honest with him; she wouldn't deny him that. 

He stroked that long brown hair that shone in the dim candlelight and looked at her expectantly. She slowly raised her head and sighed deeply, those green eyes were all big and sad. He wished hadn't said anything, after all, what did it matter? She was back now. 

"Tell me Severus, what had you expected me to do? Give you a hug and a kiss and tell you I'd see you in a couple of days?" She put her head back down on his chest and tightened her grip on him. 

He had stiffened at her words and they led there in awkward silence, both wanting to just start the day over again. Florence didn't know what else she could have said, it was the truth, and she hadn't been able to bear the thought of a goodbye. Now that she had returned she just wanted to revel in the relief that he was all right and he hadn't snuck away while she wasn't looking, and yet they both seemed to be making it as difficult as possible.

~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~

Severus woke at around six o'clock and gently shook Florence awake. He refused to leave without letting her know that he was going. He didn't want her to think that he had snuck away while she was sleeping. 

Florence woke with a start and looked around in surprise before sighing and smiling at him. Things always seemed better in the morning.

"I have to go and clean up my classroom before the day starts." He had been so eager to see her the night before that he hadn't bothered to deal with it. 

"That bad huh?" She enquired, wondering just how much someone had been hurt. He realised that he hadn't given her the whole story. 

"Someone mixed an effervescence serum with a sleeping draft" He stated.

It was explanation enough for Florence. " Urgh!" She made a face. "Even _I know what that does… A toxic cloud followed by…" She made an explanatory hand gesture. _

"An equally toxic explosion." He finished for her. 

"That's what I was going for," Florence said, repeating the hand gesture. She enjoyed watching his eyes light with amusement even if it didn't reach his face. 

She was beautiful even with tangled bed-hair and sleepy eyes, Severus decided. He couldn't resist leaning forward for a kiss before he got out of bed. She wrapped her arms around him and intensified the kiss to a greater degree than he had intended. As he massaged her mouth with his own she tentatively started to suck his bottom lip. He could feel himself stirring and, having no desire to get too excited and have no time to satisfy it, he pulled back from her clearing his throat loudly. She was grinning at him with a little more mischief than he liked the look of. As he tried to slide himself out of bed, she held him back. He sighed with barely contained annoyance. 

"Can I help you clean your classroom?" 

Severus turned to give her a stern look. "Why would you want to?"

"I know for a fact that that stuff is horrible and potent. It'll take a lot of magic to shift it. You'll be knackered before the day even starts!" 

Severus had to admit that she had a point. "Still… It is not pleasant work." He made to get up again. 

"You do realise that the more you argue, the longer I will keep you here and the more you will need my help?" 

Again she had a point. "Very well… As you wish." 

Florence let him get up and go in the bathroom, smiling triumphantly to herself. She found a brush and started to drag it through her hair, deciding it likely needed a wash. 

Severus stood under the steady stream of water, more than a little annoyed. He again found need to curse the students to high heaven. He'd wanted to come to her at the end of the day and make love to her before dinner. And then when he finally had turned up he had made that stupid cheese comment, then to ask her why she hadn't said goodbye… how stupid could anyone be? She owed him nothing, least of all the knowledge of how long she would be gone. Now he had to clean his classroom, and then wouldn't see her all day. He glowered at the wall and luckily it didn't take it too personally. 

Severus was fully aware that she was about to sneak in a good few moments before the door rattled, his senses perfectly honed from years of paranoia.

Florence was disappointed to find him already glowering at the door before she even put her head round it. She stepped the full way in, knowing she was defeated. "I should have known better than to try and sneak up on a master."

"It was a good attempt."

"Your flattery is not the air you pass it through." She knew full well that she had failed miserably. 

Florence sat herself on the toilet and Severus marvelled at her. He couldn't understand how anyone could be comfortable enough with another person to pee in front of them. But then if he had to pee in front of someone he would likely choose her, after all, she had seen him in just about every other undignified state. 

Florence stripped her robe off and climbed under the water with him. She was met with a fierce scowl and chuckled to herself. 

Was she just determined to get him all worked up this morning? She seemed to brush soft soapy curves next to him at every opportunity. "Are you just determined to frustrate me?" He growled at her and her gaze met his. 

"No. I just thought you'd want to get started as quickly as possible." Florence said sweetly.

Severus couldn't seem to stop his eyes straying. He watched the soapy water washing out of her hair and down between her ample breasts, then it's path curving around her navel. 

"Showering together will save time." Severus didn't really hear her words as he took in how the water slipped around her hips and the curvature of her buttocks. 

Florence watched as his breath quickened and expression changed from hard anger to untamed ravenous hunger. She felt her body responding to the presence of his and the look he was giving her, not to mention the sudden materialization of the most magnificent erection. 

Severus pulled her body to his, watching as her eyes widened and her mouth parted slightly, his classroom and responsibilities completely forgotten.

~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~

Florence and Severus stood outside his classroom door, armed to the teeth with charms to make sure the air they breathed was clean and Severus reversed the wards on the door. They looked surprisingly professional and composed considering what they had been up to just minutes before. 

"We aren't going to be done here in half an hour!" Florence announced upon seeing the extent of the mess. 

"It will look odd if we both miss breakfast." 

"Why… I'm sure that needing a little help to clean this up isn't a crime."

"As head of house I am obliged to attend meals in term time, this is not an excuse. I should have given myself enough time to complete the task." 

"You mean _I shouldn't have distracted you from the task?" Florence couldn't help smiling dreamily at the not so distant memory._

"Still…"

"I'll stay and clean up if we aren't finished." Florence offered, feeling a little guilty for selfishly taking him away from his commitments. 

"This is not your responsibility."

"Well no, but it's my fault."

"Your Fault?" Severus raised his eyebrows. "How did you arrive at that conclusion? I have free will, unless you used _imperio, I cannot see how you are to blame." He still had that light dancing in his eyes despite his austere words._

"Still… We'd better get a move on, if worst comes to worst we can always use my time turner." 

"As an Auror shouldn't you use that only for the good of the wizarding community?"

"And children being taught in a safe environment isn't important?" 

"Of course that's important, but that's not really what we would be buying time for is it?" 

"I see no harm in it… as long as we don't make it a habit… Besides, we'll know if it's the right thing because we will hear our selves leave your office just before breakfast." Florence looked smug and Severus just scowled before starting to survey the damage, checking that his lab had not been contaminated.  

The two professors arrived unsuspiciously for breakfast, leaving their past counterparts cleaning up.

~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~

_Hmmm... Greg is sooo cute. A Chaser on the Quidditch team and a generally gorgeous bloke!  Maggie Millstone took time out of her breakfast to stare longingly over at Greg Reilly. __Shame he's a Slytherin._

"Maggie? Hey! Wakey wakey! Rise and shine!"

Her thoughts were interrupted by Caleb Cavell as he shook her shoulder hard. She pursed her lips disapprovingly at him, a look that could rival their Head of House, Professor McGonagall.

"What do you want, Caleb?" She spoke harshly, but they were such good friends that he knew she didn't mean it.

Caleb sat down at the Gryffindor table and grinned mischievously. "Oh, nothing. Nothing at all Maggiewaggiekins."

Maggie scowled at the improper use of her name and Caleb backed off, hands raised defensively. It took an "Oof!" from the person sitting next to him for him to discover he was nearly sitting on Jack Ivander's lap.

"Get off, Cavell!"

"Sorry, Jack."

"So, what is it?!" Maggie interrupted, getting more than annoyed with her fellow classmate.

"Well... have you noticed anything going on at the staff table?"

"Hmm... let me see... LIKE EATING?!" She suggested sarcastically.

"No. Like with Snape and Professor Findal."

"Uhh... what do you mean?" 

Caleb sighed at Maggie's stupidity and turned to look at Jack for help.

"_I think Professors Snape and Findal are having it off..." At Maggie's raised eyebrows, Jack carried on. "Having raging, torrid sex."_

Caleb almost vomited in his cereal at the thought of Snape naked; he didn't even want to think about Snape engaging in _extra-curricular activities. "And I don't. I stand by my original statement: Professor Findal wouldn't touch that smelly, mouldy, cheesy pair of knickers..."_

"Commonly known as Snape." Jack chipped in with a grin.

"...if she got paid a million trillion quid!" Caleb finished with a flourish.

"And you're telling me this because...?" Maggie put down her toast and raised her eyebrows expectantly.

"We want you to settle the argument!"

"Yeah; is Snape really having it off with Professor Findal?" Both boys looked at her expectantly and she ran her hand uneasily through her long blonde hair. She looked over at the staff table where Professor Findal was laughing across the table at Professor Snape and noticed that his habitual scowl was a bit weaker than usual. He actually looked like he was hiding a smile! She turned back to her two friends who looked like they were about to burst with eagerness.

"Err... Well... Snape does seem to have had mood swings lately: sometimes he's really nasty and sometimes he's... less nasty. That's a sign of being in love."

"Hah!" Jack grinned in triumph.

"But Snape _always acts like he has heightened PMT at the best of times."_

"Hah!" Caleb mimicked Jack's previous expression. "So...?"

"I'm not sure about Snape. Let's look at Professor Findal. She's always happy, which is a good thing. Therefore, why would she feel attracted to Snape?"

"Opposites attract?" Jack suggested.

"Maybe." Maggie wrinkled her forehead pensively. "But it's still unlikely. I would have to have more evidence to make an educated guess."

Caleb stuck his tongue out. "Ugh!"

"Alright then. How about we do a little bit of stalking for a couple of days. Would that satisfy you?" Jack asked.

"I guess so." Maggie turned to Caleb who was almost salivating at the thought of following his favourite Professor around.

"When do we start?!" He asked eagerly.

"How about now?" Jack gestured at Snape and Florence who were leaving the Great Hall via the door behind the staff table.

Maggie looked longingly again at the Slytherin table before following the two boys out of the Hall. 

~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~

"Maggie, what's PMT?"

Maggie looked over at Caleb, a quelling look on her face, while Jack snorted with suppressed laughter.

"Ssshhh! They're coming." Maggie peered out from behind the large statue of Gifford Ollerton, the Giant Slayer.

She could see Snape and Professor Findal making their way down the corridor. Florence was obviously laughing at him because he had a scowl on his face but, to Maggie's surprise, the scowl cracked into a grin. Maggie jumped back in fright and almost knocked over Caleb and Jack who were trying to peer over her shoulder. 

The three Gryffindors looked at each other in shock before returning to spying on the Professors.

They had stopped. Snape had heard Caleb's "Oof" as Maggie had stood on his foot and now was suspicious.

"What's wrong, Severus?" Florence asked, looking around to see what he was looking at.

Snape ignored her but was scanning the corridor with his eagle-eyed gaze. 

Maggie, Caleb and Jack stood as still as they possibly could, knowing that, if they were found, it would probably mean detention for the rest of the month.

Luckily, Florence tugged on Snape's sleeve. "Come on, Severus." She moved down the corridor and after a few seconds hesitation, he followed.

The three Gryffindors breathed a simultaneous sigh of relief. 

"That was close!" Jack said as he climbed out from behind the statue. "Imagine what would have happened if Snape had caught us..." 

Caleb looked worriedly at Jack but Maggie wasn't listening.

"They do seem pretty close." She was muttering. "And after the evidence Caleb saw at Christmas, I would bet my wand arm that there's definitely some chemistry there."

Caleb, who had listened with one ear to her muttering, almost turned green at the thought. "But... Professor Findal wouldn't... not with Snape... Ewwww!"

Jack snorted with laughter again. "I knew it!"

"Don't get too smug yet, Jack. I could be wrong..." Maggie stopped as she heard voices floating down the corridor. They made to hide, but it was too late.

"Oh look, boys. It's the three dummies!" Greg Reilly reported to the two thickset boys that were flanking him.

"Couldn't you come up with a better insult, Reilly? Or are _you too thick?" Jacks stepped up to the tall Slytherin.      _

"Watch it, Ivander. After all, I have Farnley and Rosier." He said gesturing to his two goon buddies, "and you have... let me see... Maggie-the-Mudblood and Caleb-the-Clumsy."

Jack walked forward, rubbing his fist but Maggie grabbed his shoulder and pulled him back. "Don't do it, Jack."

"Ooh! You gonna let your girlfriend tell you what to do?"

"He's not my boyfriend!" Maggie shouted and connected her fist with the face that she adored.

"MAGGIE! JACK! Come on!" While Maggie and Jack had been preoccupied with the Slytherins, Caleb had opened the secret entrance and the three Gryffindors dashed into it.

"That's it! Run away like the wimps that you are!" Greg shouted, his palm holding his bruised cheek.

"OK!" Caleb said before the wall closed behind them.

~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~

"But I'm sure someone was there." Severus leaned back in the armchair.

Florence sipped at her tea, knowing he would be very disappointed at missing the opportunity to remove house points from some unsuspecting student. "It doesn't matter really does it Severus? After all, walking down the corridor isn't a crime." He scowled, almost out of habit. 

She and Severus both had classes to teach in just less than ten minutes, but had stopped off at the staff room for a cup of tea with the other Professors.

Filbert was balanced precariously on a stool in front of the coffee table; set up for an hour's marking before his first class of the day. He was waving a fancy luminous quill made from the tale of a fwooper that was much longer than his arm, and had already began his standard Tuesday morning rant about having to get up early despite having no class to teach. Minerva sighed and tightened her lips in a severe look, drumming her fingers on the arm of her chair. 

Florence felt a little odd, the use of the time turner always had that effect on her, it was like when the clocks went back or forward. The day was all of a sudden two hours longer and it felt more like it should be eleven o-clock than nine. She sighed to herself knowing it would be a couple of days before things felt normal again. She wanted to ask Severus if he felt the same, but didn't wish to bring it up in front of their colleagues, it would have to wait until later. 

Florence shifted herself deeper into the chair next to his and admired his long legs stretched out in front of him, dangerously close to unseating Filbert from his perch. She allowed herself to grin, knowing that Severus must be considering doing just that, and suppressed the urge to affectionately stroke his shoulder.  

"We should go and see the Headmaster this evening." Severus said, letting go of his earlier annoyance.

"I don't see too much point. What I found out wouldn't fill an eggcup. I was really shocked about how oblivious they all seem. Do you think Albus has let the ministry know about his suspicions at all?" 

"I really have no idea. You will have to ask him when we go see him. He asked how we were progressing while you were away, I had nothing good to tell him."

"We still have nothing." Florence took another sip of tea. "Perhaps it's nothing. A lot of worry for no reason, I mean is Harry Potter's scar twinging the only thing he's going on? If it is then I'd say we are on a wild goose chase." 

"I wouldn't under estimate that if I were you, he has never been wrong before."

"The boy survived the killing curse, Severus, and that was the only mark on him, I wouldn't be surprised if it twinges every now and again."

Severus didn't want to tell her that sometimes his arm itched so furiously he wanted to tear his own flesh off, and especially not while they were in the staff room. "I have a class to teach." He announced and stood up, setting his empty teacup down. Florence got up as well and the other teachers also started to rise reluctantly, setting off for their respective classrooms. 

As she turned to go the opposite way to Severus she sort of wished he would be a little more affectionate with her in public. She had no desire for the pupils to be privy to their relationship, but surely it wouldn't hurt for the staff to know. 

~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~

A/N:

Wow this chapter seemed to go on and on, there was just so much mischief!!

**Becki: **

Here are the answers (that we think are right!) for your teasers:

Don't blow the balloon up. She weighs vegetables. "Do you snore?" No chance; in 72 hours it will be midnight. They don't use their hands; they use a spoon! Have the ball tied to a rope before you kick it. 75 miles. Walk 60 miles to the North Pole and carry on walking 15 miles. Add salt to the water. 1 (Martha thinks it's 2, but Squirrel has control of the keyboard. Mwahahahaa!) (You really stumped us with this 1…pweez tell us the answers soon!) They take the same time. Try and float the barrel. It's not raining! Silence There is no April 31st. The rope is tied to the horse but nothing else. The surgeon is the boy's mother. 

Thank you so much for choosing to think up riddles for us while you were board! We were really flattered. 

Unfortunately we take subjects like Maths, Physics and IT so our creative writing skills don't help us much! EEEK! Martha is rather proud of herself though for proving some proof or other… (she does some advanced crap that I don't get, but then I confuse her with my computer genius!! Mwahahah)

**Starlight: **

Hiya. Thanks for your review and we would be honoured to go on your faves list!! Squeak! As you can see Sev did sleep with the robe. Martha had been looking for a way to get that in since she invented those infamous garments all those chapters ago.

Oh, in answer to your riddle: a piece of string is twice as long as half a piece of string (Martha)

                                                              is twice as long as from the middle to the end (Squirrel)

We hope they're the right answers!

Thanks also to **Polgara **and **Kbear** for your lovely reviews. 

Martha and Squirrel.x.x


	19. There was a Professor called Snape...

Chapter 20: There was a Professor called Snape…

Disclaimer: don't own this! Even the stuff we make up belongs to the gremlins in our heads! The rest of course is JK Rowling's. 

~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~

Jack doodled absently on the napkin that was placed to the right of his plate. The doodle was oddly become a caricature of Snape and Professor Findal and he grinned as he added a couple of hearts above their heads.

Caleb and Maggie slid in the seats either side of him and began helping themselves to the food that was sat in the centre of the table.

Knawing on a chicken leg, Caleb looked at the doodle over Jack's shoulder and grimaced. "Don't get too smug yet, Ivander. We haven't proved they are going out yet."

"And we haven't proved they aren't." Jack replied, not looking up from the napkin.

"Now, now, boys. Calm down!" Maggie teased and spooned some peas into her mouth. Caleb made a face at her. Suddenly, he remembered something and his face crept into a grin.

"Guess what I heard today?" He asked.

"What?" The other two asked, not really sure whether they wanted to know.

"Oh! You two are no fun! The meaning of 'guess' is that you are meant to _guess." Caleb said crossly. He ignored the grins on both of his friends' faces and carried on. "I heard this really cool limerick. Wanna hear?"_

"Go on, then." Maggie gave in.

"Here goes." Caleb took a deep breath.

"There was a professor called Snape

Who looked like an oversized ape.

He gave women a scare

With his long greasy hair

And whatever was under his cape!"

Caleb finished with a flourish of his arms and Maggie clapped delightedly. "Fantastic! Who told you that one?"

"Ron Weasley. He said he got it off his brothers, Fred and George."

Jack shook his head. "That was pathetic, Cavell. I can think of a better one on the spot."

"Go on, then." Caleb dared and Jack copied Caleb's action of taking a deep breath. Maggie watched, amused by this show of manly prowess.

            "There once was a Potions Master,

            Who couldn't deduct House Points faster.

            He put socks in his potions 

            And pus in his lotions

            The evil, greasy, long-haired-"

Jack stopped short as Maggie desperately tried to signal something to him.

"He's right behind me, isn't he?" He said, wishing it weren't true but knowing otherwise.

"For once, you are right Mr Ivander. 25 points from Gryffindor..." Snape's cold voice sounded from behind them and the three Gryffindors froze. They had been well and truly caught in the act. "...and night-time detention for a fortnight. For all of you."

Jack tried to unsuccessfully hide his caricature under the table but Snape spotted it and took the napkin away. He stood perusing it for a minute before putting it in his robe pocket. "Another 5 points from Gryffindor." He said menacingly before swooping down between the tables.

"Bastard." Jack declared.

"You got that right, Jack. If I didn't know better, I would say he has a crystal ball tucked down his trousers." Caleb fiddled with a carrot on his nearly empty plate.

"It's probably what attracts Professor Findal to him!" Jack laughed and Maggie joined in. Caleb just scowled.

"You're gonna get it, Ivander." He threatened before shoving a large potato in his mouth.

~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~

Friday again, thank god! Florence stretched out in her chair and flexed her toes, wriggling them as they recovered from a day in her boots. She picked up the mail that various owls had left on the coffee table throughout the day. She had a note from Sirius, still going on about getting the Order of Merlin, and the rest was for Severus. For someone so antisocial he got a lot of mail. It was all potions correspondence though…_hmm, what will it be today?_ It was something about membership and subscription fees to the _Guild of Potions Masters_. There had been no new papers all week; Florence was quite disappointed. She would have to find something else to do, like return an owl or two perhaps. There was just one more thing to open… Florence turned the envelope over; it was small compared with the envelopes that potions papers were sent in and had an all-together more interesting feel. Florence noticed that the letter was sealed with wax, stamped with a tiny moving image of a golden snitch. Her eyebrows rose with intrigue and Florence hesitated over whether she should open it. He accepted that she opened his G_uild_ correspondence but she had never had the opportunity to open anything else. He had said that there was nothing he could receive that he would mind her seeing… Florence decided to open it, what would it hurt? 

Two tickets (very good tickets) to the Quidditch World Cup in Australia. _Huh!_

~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~

Florence was devising End of year exams for her first year classes. Thinking up a few riddles for them to solve was fun, and a list of descriptions for which they had to identify the corresponding dangerous creature. 

She hadn't realised how long she had been sat at her desk when the door to her room rattled as Severus let himself in. The door had rattled; it wouldn't be a happy Severus. She let herself grin at the wall, strangely amused, as she continued with her description of a Manticore.

He huffed and started to take off his boots, something of an end-of-the-day ritual they both shared, although he rarely went as far as taking his socks off too and wriggling his toes. 

Florence jumped when he was suddenly behind her, gathering her hair up and throwing it over one shoulder. 

"What are you doing?" Severus did sound mildly curious.

"Devising some end of year exams…" She said as she finished her sentence; _…repels all known charms._

"Do you plan for _everyone_ to get over one hundred percent?" He said derisively, reading over her shoulder.

Florence still found it difficult to accept that more than 100 percent could be awarded for a test in the wizarding world; it went against all her perceptions. "They're only first years, they don't need the pressure of exams, I thought I'd give them something easy." 

"You thought you would make them complacent." He sniped.

"Yes, Severus, that's exactly what I'm doing." Florence stood up, stepping out from behind her chair to slide her arms round his waist, grinning at his angry expression, "But I'm sure you'll make up for it, so don't worry." She fluttered her eyelashes making it obvious that she was really not affected by his mood. 

Severus just glowered more fiercely, annoyed by her amusement at his expense. Less annoyed by how close she now was. He put his arms round her and squeezed her to him forcefully. She grinned and started to sneak her hands into his cloak. He gave her what he hoped was a dubious look before pretending to give in lower his head to kiss her, rewarded by her taste and acceptance. He was getting thoroughly lost, running his hands over her back and sculpting them together, when she shifted and pulled away, a frown on her face. 

"What?" He sounded horse and disappointed. 

Florence withdrew a hand from inside his cloak and with it came an old scrap of napkin. She arched an eyebrow inquisitively. 

Severus knew exactly what it was and wasn't about to indignify himself by snatching it away from her. As she carefully unfolded it, her face twisted into the oddest smile, and she cleared her throat in obvious amusement. 

"Been doing a spot of doodling, Severus?" The expression on his face was priceless. 

"I confiscated it."

Florence slipped quickly into hysterics. She was clutching at her stomach and had to sit down on the end of the bed to keep from falling down. "It really is very good." She managed to say in a very strangled voice. 

Severus offered another dark look.

"Oh come on… You _did_ keep it." She gave the doodle another glance and sniggered. "You must have hung onto it for a reason…" She tormented, knowing he wouldn't appreciate it but not able to resist.

"To remind me to give the nasty little boy a detention the next time I have the misfortune of laying eyes on him." 

"Oh really, Severus, if you keep on like this they will run out of things to do in detention." 

"And that will be a happy day indeed." He stalked across the room and started making tea, leaving her perched on the end of the bed, with the napkin in her fist.

"Severus, are you aware that you have purchased World Cup tickets?" She called after him

"Of course."

"Right…" _That doesn't really tell me much._

"You like Quidditch."

"_I_ like Quidditch?" She said in a dubious voice. _You got them for me?_

"Who did you think I was taking?" Severus looked up at her, evidently feeling as though some of his dignity had somehow been regained. 

"What…? Oh, I don't know… I didn't know we liked it that much…" 

"That's not the reason I got them."

"It's not…?" _And there was me thinking you wanted a romantic trip…_

"Large event, lots of people; add that to a lot of suspicion about Voldemort and you have a potential disaster."

"Oh…" _Again with the disappointment… but why, I hadn't _wanted_ him to take me to Australia?_ "You were planning on telling me this when??" _Probably on the way there!_

"When it came up, I hadn't really thought about it." Severus continued to rattle around with the teacups, apparently not interested in continuing what she had interrupted with her discovery. 

~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~

Florence knew she loved him, and it was the oddest feeling, she had very rarely been so frightened. The cold dread that filled her as she led with his arm tucked around her felt almost tangible. She would _never_ tell him, they'd done that once before…

"Do the rest of the staff know that we're… together?" Florence concentrated on playing absentmindedly with a few strands of his hair. He _was_ lovely.

She couldn't help but feel odd about their relationship. Severus didn't say anything about he felt about her. He hadn't even returned her admission that she had missed him while she had been in London. The security of a while ago seemed to have dissolved in the last week. They were physically affectionate, that definitely wasn't in dispute considering their preceding after-dinner pleasures, but…

"You would have to ask them."

Great! If that's not a typical 'I don't want to have this conversation'-response, then I don't know what is! Grr! Well, it's happening, so come to terms with it! "I'm asking you what you think."

"I have no idea." 

"Would it worry you if they did?"

"You wish to tell the staff we are…together?" He mimicked her choice of words as he propped himself up on one elbow, resigning himself to fact that he would have to have this discussion. Why they had to have it now though was a mystery to him.

Excuse my rather exasperated sigh! "Let me phrase this another way…am I hiding it?"

"Are you?"

"What?" 

"What?"

Grrrrr! Calm, calm… deep breath, Ok… "Severus, do you want this kept a secret? Do you mind if the other Professors know?" 

"Why do you want to tell them?"

"It's not about wanting to tell them…it's…"

Women are insane. "What is it then?"

"Would you just answer me…? Then I'll tell you what it is…do you prefer it kept a secret?"

"It makes no difference to me." He looked very worried now, she noted. "…So?"

"Its just…"Florence started to wish she'd left it. "You don't say anything…" Oh, God…I have no idea how to say any of this…"I mean, I said I missed you while I was away and you didn't even say that back…" Florence suddenly felt very cold and subconsciously started rubbing her arms. "And I just get the impression that in front of other people we have to be discreet… Are you ashamed? Do you think they will see you differently? Do you think it will damage your façade or something? I mean, I just… I can't help feeling like…" 

"Like what?" He leant forward and brushed a piece of hair off her slightly flushed cheek. 

"Like I'm some sort of, I don't know… security blanket." He's going to love that analogy!

"Security blanket?" Severus was obviously drawing a blank. 

"As though I'm alright for this…for comfort and sex, but… that's it. Like a child dragging an old blanket around until they get to a certain age when their parents make them leave it at home because they have to go to school… but as soon as they get home, they find it, sleep with it and tow it about like it's a part of them, but they would never want their friends to know they had one." Florence knew that she was going on about absolute nonsense now and this analogy was as foreign to him as wands had been to her at eleven years old. 

Severus sighed, lowering his head, and Florence was left with a heavy sense of foreboding. 

She felt used. The revelation made him feel sick to the stomach, perhaps that was exactly what he'd been doing… How could he ever start to apologise for that? 

She did feel like a part of him, he did want to trail her about everywhere and sleep with her, and she was definitely a huge comfort… but he certainly wasn't ashamed of her, of needing her. Or was he? Surely she should be the one that was ashamed, who would want to share a bed with him? Do for him what she did? 

Even the students thought it was a hilarious joke that she would ever go within a hundred yards of someone like him. They could see what he was, and they only got to look at the surface, how long would it be before she realised? He'd have to go back to being without her.

Rising panic made him want to spill out his feelings. Fear stopped him. She wouldn't feel the same way, and if she did it wouldn't be true, she would soon stop feeling it if she ever really knew him. "I'm so sorry." 

He'd managed to push his face right into her neck and his words were all muffled. Florence let him gather her up, drawing her underneath him, before rolling onto his back, still hiding in her hair. She waited patiently through the long pause for him to say something else.

"I'm not ashamed of you… of wanting you." He spoke directly to her ear, pulling the bedcovers right up over their head, the compulsion to hide not fading. "I'd have thought it would be the other way around." 

Florence tried to prop herself up so she could look down at him but it was too dark beneath the sheets. She struggled and floundered as she tried to lift the covers off to let in some candlelight. He was looking up at her with a searching expression. "You think I'd be ashamed of this?" 

Florence wondered if she was… She hadn't admitted to being with him in any of her numerous letters to Heather, carefully skirting round the issue. Just listening to her stories about her lecherous boss and being sympathetic, while telling the odd funny story about the goings on at Hogwarts; always careful not to mention that Severus was even there. It was a conversation she simply didn't want to have.

But Heather was different, she knew the whole story and had been there to pick up the pieces, like Sirius had been, and look how he had reacted. None of the staff really knew that they had been together in their school days, they knew him well, knew he was a good person, had worked with him for years. 

"I'm not, I promise." She'd have to tell Heather now…

"I don't want you to feel like that, maybe I have been selfish in this." _More than selfish, you should have gone to Azcaban, where you belong, seventeen years ago._ Severus had got used to feeling important, like a good member of society that deserved to be recognised as such, and all because of the misguided trust of Albus Dumbledore. There was nothing like a good reality check. Trying to recapture a youth you threw away was certainly a painful way of getting one. He should never have gone to her in the first place. He was hurting her over and over. 

"It's alright now, I've said what was bothering me." Florence snuggled herself down into the pillow, her head right next to his, her nose in his hair; secretly quite enjoying it. She was slightly aware that he was still a little tense though. "I… Are you OK?"

"I'm fine." Severus turned to her and searched for the warm sanctuary of her mouth, totally unable to walk away, he'd stay there with her and hurt her till she couldn't take anymore, because he was selfish and it was easy to stay. So easy to be here in this warm, temporary heaven.

~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~

_Has he remembered? _Florence deliberated. _Should I have said something a few days ago? Should I say something if he doesn't remember?_ She was working herself into quite a state of confusion. Florence had been awake since 4.30 wurretting …_is that actually a word?_ She wondered, _probably not._ Her family had always had a passion for fictional verbs.

Severus made a sound in his sleep and changed his position slightly in bed. Florence got up and went in the bathroom for a shower, no use getting off to a late start when you'd been awake since just before the birds. 

It was Monday 18th of May, which meant she had her favourite class today, first year Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws. The sun was shining rather pleasantly which sent shafts of light through the bathroom window and made a warm patch, which was pleasant to the toes, on the mat by the bath. Florence felt that summery feeling which had been threatening for a couple of weeks. A sort of hopefulness, which made you feel about half a stone lighter than you actually were. There was also a sunny smell, she was sure. She smiled fuzzily as she climbed over the side of the bath and under the running water.

"Don't think you're getting away that easily." Florence had emerged from the bathroom, ready for work and had made to leave. 

Strong arms were slid round her waist and she found herself being spun round by Severus so that she was facing him. She instinctively held onto his shoulders.  

"Happy Birthday" He muttered, letting his lips brush hers as he formed the words.

Florence had to suppress the childish urge to squeak, and settled for a rather enthusiastic kiss. When it broke he stared down at her, their noses still touching until she was suitably cross eyed and just a bit dizzy. 

"I have something planned for this evening, I'm sorry, you'll have to wait." 

Florence was somewhat speechless and found she was just staring at him in amazement, his eyes drawing her in. _I really should say something…anything…_

"Cat got your tongue?" He leant his head forward to whisper in her ear.

"No, but you probably will later." She said before she thought and heard him give a low chuckle. Severus squeezed her closer and put a couple of hot lingering kisses on her neck until he felt her shudder. 

"Come on, we don't want to miss breakfast." 

Florence gave herself a mental shake and followed him out of the room, giggling to herself. She was sure that her parents hadn't acted like this at 43, or looked like this… _Perhaps it's the Wizard thing, or I just didn't notice!_

_I wonder what he's got planned…?_ Florence took time out while eating her toast and jam at the Staff table to speculate over what she would have to wait for. 

Severus appeared to be having a hushed, and apparently voluntary, conversation with Professor Flitwick. That made Florence's eyebrows rise. _They look like they're up to something! _She couldn't help it, utterly preoccupied with impatience. _Stop it! If you get your hopes up, you'll be disappointed!_ She tried to think of something else to occupy her thoughts… _I could go back to my room and snoop about when I don't have a lesson…Stop it!_

"Hagrid, how are the Fire Crabs doing?" Hagrid had a friend in Fiji that had managed to get him a licence to import a few of these rare creatures for his Care Of Magical Creatures lessons. Florence decided that a conversation would take her mind off it.  

"Oh 'ello, Professor. 'Appy Birthday!"

"Thank you Hagrid."

"I didn't realise, Florence. Many Happy Returns." Hazel Hooch piped up. 

"Fire crabs're doin' v'ry well, thank you." He swigged from a huge mug the size of her head. "If I could jus get the Slytherins t'stop tryin' t'de-shell the younguns."

"Oh dear, have you had a word with Severus?" _But then, he's been too busy making plans for my birthday… Stop it!_

"Yeah, o'course, not a lot ee can do though I'm afraid. No proof yeh see?"

"You could let them steal one…" She thought out loud.

"Are yeh sure yer not a Slytherin yerself, Professor?" He said, his beetle-like eyes glittering. Florence let herself laugh, hopefully reassuring him that she wasn't really cruel. "I couldn' do tha', think o'the poor little feller…It migh' catch em but would t'be worth it?"

"Quite true, Hagrid." Florence realised that she had managed to disturb herself with that conversation, and perhaps Hagrid as well. 

"Hazel, I hear Ravenclaw have a new Chaser." _Much safer subject… unless of course it gets round to the World Cup… then I have to say I'm going with Severus, then I'm talking about Severus and thinking about what he's done for my Birthday…Damn it!_

"Yes, poor Liall Bromley broke his leg and they've brought in a temporary replacement."

"Oh dear, how long do you think Liall will be out of action?"

"I don't know, he won't be back before their next game. It's only this weekend and it was an awful break. Then of course it's the Quidditch Final."

"That was always trouble in my day, I suppose nothing's changed." _I'm just glad Severus never made the team, what with James Potter being Gryffindor seeker…_

"I'm afraid not, especially with the Slytherins being a little jealous of Harry Potter." 

_They appear to never grow out of it!_

_"_I'll probably let Severus referee that one."

_Severus referees? He never mentioned it-  _

"Happy Birthday, my dear." Professor Dumbledore interrupted Florence's thoughts.

"Thank you, Professor." She couldn't help grinning at the sprightly old man.

"I can remember when I was your age… just about!" He chuckled and made his way along the table to the centre seat. 

_He must be about 120! _Florence thought, idly wondering how long she would live. Would being Muggle born make a difference? That was something to ask Poppy next time she bumped into her. 

Last year she'd got a card from Heather, a card from her aunt and a new hat (which she never wore, despite being a Witch). This year was already better! She stole a quick look across at Severus …_Crap! _She found her thoughts straying again. 

~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~

A/N:

Thanks Becki! We luv ya! Very proud of ourselves for getting most of those riddles right! I (Martha) knew I was right about the circle!!! (HA!) Squirrel is now sulking in the corner under an old sock and sending me evil looks.

Hope you enjoy this chapter! 

Martha and Squirrel.x.x


	20. Swish and Flick!

Chapter 21: Swish and Flick

Disclaimer: We don't own any of the characters that were in the Harry Potter books 'cos they belong to J. K. Rowling (that includes Florence!). We do own some of the wild and wacky students and the terminally weird plot line.

~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~

It was finally time for the last bell and Florence decided that it had been one of the longest days of her life. She stuffed her quills back in her desk draw and left her classroom in a hurry, herding out the last few students, though not forgetting to lock the door behind her. 

Florence scooted down the corridor, trying to look as normal as possible whenever she passed a student, acknowledging a couple of the older ones that she taught Advanced DADA.

She took a deep breath when she got back to her rooms and tried to straighten her grin; it just made it bigger and she eventually gave up and just went in. 

She was beaming at an empty room. _He can't have got back yet. Florence found that she was quite deflated. There was a birthday card from Sirius left on the coffee table and a lengthy letter from Heather. The card was placed on the mantle piece and Florence sat down to read the letter from Heather, hoping it would kill the time until Severus got in. She started to unfasten her boots as she read._

There was something on the bed. Florence ambled over in an ungainly fashion, one boot on and one off, her letter forgotten. She sat on the edge of the bed and opened the little blank envelope left there. Inside was a note. Unfolding the piece of parchment, she was surprised to see a large black arrow pointing to the door. Shrugging, she put it on the bed beside her and put her boot back on. _Should have known I'd have to work for my Birthday treat!_

Stepping outside, the arrow swivelled so that it was pointing down the corridor. Florence had nearly shut the door when she realised that there was at least a small possibility that this wasn't Severus' work… She paused, checking she still had her wand, and went back in to get some more weaponry.

_He could have said 'bring a cloak', but oh no… Bloody Hell, it's chilly. Florence's good mood quickly changed upon leaving the castle and heading up the road into the quaint little village. __What in god's name does he have planned?_

She found herself being drawn to The Three Broomsticks, the cosy pub in Hogsmeade's main street. _A meal in the pub… She speculated and rubbed her arms. Despite it being May, and a very nice day too, there was a biting wind. _

Upon opening the door, she was greeted with a warm blast of air. Quite pleasant. "Ah, hello, Professor Findal!" 

"Oh, Filbert, it's you." Florence tried to hide her lack of enthusiasm. _Obviously I was wrong! _

"Come and sit with me… Have a drink," He beckoned to Rosmerta who came over to serve her best customer. "I'll have a cherry syrup with vodka and umbrella." He smacked his lips and beamed around at all the people filling the friendly establishment, "and whatever this delightful young lady is having."

Florence couldn't really get out of it now… "Thank you, Filbert. I'll have a Butterbeer." She perched herself on the barstool next to his, idly wondering how he had gotten up there in the first place. A mental image of Filbert levitating himself made her smirk into her fist. 

"So, having a nice Birthday?"

"Terrific." She said, trying to hide her sarcasm with a big swig of her Butterbeer. 

Rosmerta brought them their drinks. "Ahhh..." Filbert sighed, swirling his drink round the glass, "The classic 'Swish and Flick'." He made one more swirl and then knocked back the whole drink in one gulp.

"May I say that you look lovely this evening?" Filbert squeaked, as he set his glass down and motioned to Rosmerta.

_I look the same as I do everyday, only more windswept! Florence thought, giving him a dubious look. "Thank you." She conceded.  __Please don't let this be his idea… She pleaded with any higher power that might in the market for offering some assistance as she sipped her drink, trying to think of any way she could get out of this. _

"Oh, I almost forgot…" Flitwick squeaked and reached inside his embroidered blue and gold robe, having a good rummage. 

"Sounds ominous…" Florence remarked.

"Here it is." He handed her a fairly crumpled blank envelope, the same as the one she had found on her bed.  

"Gee, how many of these are there going to be?" Florence thought out loud. __

"I'm led to believe this is the last!" Flitwick said with a playful wink as if he knew what she was thinking. Florence let her eyebrows rise;_ Filbert is the last person I would have expected Severus to tell about us first… She was relieved that it did appear Severus was behind this though, despite the obvious peculiarity of the situation. _

Florence swigged down the rest of her Butterbeer, eager to get back to the castle and for this entire charade to be over with, as Flitwick ordered another drink. He was obviously getting himself well and truly set up for the night with plenty of drinking time. No wonder he didn't like Tuesday mornings! 

She decided that opening the note might be an idea. She ripped the heavy parchment and pulled out the square from within. 

~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~

Florence finally got back to the castle, a little windswept and crotchety, not to mention starving and plotting Severus' slow and untimely death. The steps up to her rooms had never seemed so steep before, _What was he playing at? _

She let herself in, opening the door forcefully to let him know that she wasn't in the best of moods with him. She was hit with the most fantastic aroma; her stomach responded immediately, squirming and growling in hunger. Florence clapped her hand on it as if to calm it down. 

There was a cauldron in the corner and, next to it, the coffee table appeared to have been transfigured into a proper table with dining chairs to match. It was laid out for two and Severus was nowhere to be seen. Florence made her way over. 

"Do you approve?" 

She spun around, finding him right behind her. "You're really going to have to let me in on how you do that." 

He smirked and she remembered why she was annoyed; it must have shown on her face. 

"I'm really sorry for sending you off with Filbert. I needed to get rid of you for an hour to make this a surprise." He held her shoulders. 

"You could have just told me to give you some time." 

"And you would have just wheedled it out of me, and then insisted on helping…" 

"True… But I look terrible, I'm in my work clothes and I look like I've been dragged through a hedge backwards! I almost died when Filbert told me I was 'looking lovely'." Florence found that her features broke into an embarrassed sort of grin; the look on his face as she crushed all his efforts to dust, coupled with the knowledge that all this would seem hilarious with hindsight, made her feel guilty for being upset with him. 

"It won't be ready for some time, if you want to wash and change." He said, their faces very close together. 

"Thank you, you've put a lot of effort in… it's lovely. Really… it's just been a long day." Florence stretched up and gave him a quick kiss before ducking around him and going to rummage through her wardrobe in the opposite corner to find something nice to wear that he didn't see her in everyday.  

~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~

Caleb picked up a rather large chicken leg and attempted to stick it in his mouth whole as Maggie looked on in disgust.

"You _are aware there's a bone in that?" She wrinkled her nose as Caleb paused with the chicken partway into his mouth, which was wide-open._

"Wha'?" He asked and Maggie just shook her head and averted her eyes. She turned to Jack, who was sat on her other side and was thankfully eating a little more genteelly. He shovelled a forkful of peas into his mouth and looked at her expectantly. Half the peas missed and spilled onto the table.

"Ugh!" She cried and ignored both boys, instead staring across the room at Greg Reilly. He was laughing with his friends and, when he caught her staring at him, he pointed and laughed even harder. Maggie blushed and looked down at her dinner plate, not catching the evil glare Jack gave Greg, or the depressed look he fixed the back of her head with. After all, she didn't know he liked her.

Caleb disrupted the little scene unknowingly. "Hey! Snape's not here!"

Jack dragged his eyes away from Maggie to scan the staff table. "You're right! He's gone! But... Professor Findal is gone too. I bet they're having raging-"

"Jack! We all know what you bet. Whether we want to hear it while we're eating is another thing altogether!" Maggie chipped in, glaring at Jack, who grinned unapologetically.

Caleb frowned sulkily.

"You didn't really think that you gazing at her like a constipated hippo in DADA would cause Professor Findal to dump Snape on his bony ass and fall for you did it?" Jack teased but Caleb's expression was stony.

"No. It sure didn't work for you." He replied and Jack's smile froze.

"What do you mean, Cavell?"

"I mean you've been – how did you put it? – gazing at Maggie like a constipated hippo for like 3 years now and it hasn't worked-"

"Shut up!" Jack's blue eyes were as hard as crystals but Caleb just glared. "Just shut up!"

"Jack?" Maggie looked confusedly at him but he refused to look at her. He got up from the table and left the Great Hall. She turned to Caleb but he gave her the cold shoulder. "What's going on, Caleb? Tell me." She pleaded but he didn't answer. She pushed her plate away and followed Jack out.

~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~

_Trust Severus to cook in cauldrons. Florence smiled as she came out from the bathroom, noticing that he was using more than one now; they were all of varying sizes. _

He turned to look at her. She had twisted her hair up away from her face and it left her neck bare and enticing. She wore a thin black blouse that, in the dim candlelight, her underwear could just be made out in underneath. Her skirt was long and her feet bare. 

She walked over and touched his shoulder; "What are we having?" She asked, looking altogether calmer and more relaxed, as she peered into the cauldron he was stirring. 

"Watercress and Orange Soup to start." 

As someone whose soup experience was limited to what Heinz put in cans, Florence was intrigued. The House elves at Hogwarts didn't seem too inclined to make soup, so the last time she had any she had been at home. 

"Then Duck and Chestnut Casserole finishing with Sticky Toffee Pudding." The last three words were carefully enunciated, drawing Florence's gaze inexorably to his mouth. "…Does that sound alright?"

"What…?" She gawped, waiting for what he'd said to sink in. "Uhm, yes, that sound's lovely."

Taking advantage of her seeming a little flustered, he swooped in for a kiss. His hands on her waist, he soon discovered that her relatively short blouse only had to be lifted a fraction for him to be able to stroke the warm flesh of her midriff with his fingertips. She moved unconsciously closer, her hands travelling up over his shoulders and coming together to play with the back of his neck.

"I have something for you." He muttered into the gentle kiss. She nudged their noses and he felt his heart rise when she smiled up at him.

"You have?" She'd brought her hands down to his shoulders and he brought his up to them, not really wanting to leave their embrace. 

He stepped over to where his cloak hung on a peg behind the door. He searched the pockets and she watched him, intrigued. 

Severus looked incredibly unsure as he handed her an envelope, marked with the stamp of 'International Wizarding Transport'. She couldn't imagine what he thought she wanted. She ripped open the envelope and inside was portkey information for a trip between Simpson Desert Australia and Darwin on August 2nd.

"I thought you could visit your friend while we attend the World Cup."

Her face split into a grin as she looked up at him. "Thank you, Severus, I don't know what to say. I haven't see in Heather for…for years." She put her arms round him and he hugged her, glad the gift wasn't thought too odd. "But how did you know where she lived?" She looked at him curiously.

"You write to her a lot, the Post Office in Hogsmeade doesn't get any other post for Australia, it wasn't difficult to find out." 

"You went to all that trouble?"

"I think the food's ready, don't want it to spoil." He evaded her inquiry.

As he pulled her chair out for her, a thought occurred to Florence. "Aren't you required to be at dinner, what with being Head of Slytherin?" _Head of Slytherin…I'm sleeping with the Head of Slytherin house…Florence mused. __You still haven't told Heather…_

"I made sure it was alright with the Headmaster." Florence had had a sneaky feeling that Albus had known about them for a while, a feeling that perhaps he knew everything. But Filbert knew and didn't seem alarmed; along with possibly Hagrid and Professor Sprout, considering that Severus would have needed supplies for this meal.  

"I'm not being funny, Severus, but what have you brewed in those?" Florence said warily, indicating the cauldrons he was dishing out of. 

He gave her a twisted smile, "Why? All manner of horrible things."

"Severus!"

"Nothing inedible, honestly."

"It's all edible Severus. It's what it does to you I'm worried about." She leant down and sniffed the soup he placed in front of her, pleasantly surprised.

"I can assure you there is nothing to worry about; after all, I'll be eating it too."

"In that case, it looks delicious."

~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~

Florence was stuffed and feeling heavy-eyed. It was the one advantage of eating in the Great Hall; the walk back to your room certainly got rid of that sleepy feeling. Not even the after dinner coffee had done the trick. 

He watched her. She looked all rosy and contented, yawning into her hand and letting her eyes close for a couple of seconds. This evening had been an excuse to do something nice for her. He felt as though he owed her so much; the last few months had been wonderful. Deciding that the clearing up didn't really matter, and she wouldn't mind if he left it, Severus got up and took her hand. She looked up at him and then stood. He pulled her chair out with his free hand, leading her over to one of the armchairs in front of the fireplace. 

As he sat, drawing her onto his lap, she realised that he had enchanted the chair; it was big enough for them both to curl up in, not the hard bony affair it had been a few hours ago. He tucked his legs up and pulled her into the curve of his body. The chair seemed to swell to accommodate them. She leant back into his embrace, sighing with contentment.  

She remembered something from earlier on; "Severus, you never told me that you refereed Quidditch." She murmured as she endeavoured to snuggle even deeper. 

"Yes, I do occasionally… Who told you?" The last of his words were spoken into the top of her head, he planted a little punctuating kiss there, sniffing her hair.

"Hazel…" Florence shifted herself round so that she could look at him. "Looks like she let out your big secret." 

"If only that was it." He lent down to give her a kiss, not wanting her to question him. 

She was glad he had gone no further, she didn't think she ever wanted to know his secrets. Florence would be happy do deny that he even had any for an easy life. 

She had snuck right round so that they now led facing one another; the chair had expanded so much, and it felt like there were that many cushioning charms on it, that it seemed almost better than her bed. The attention his lips were giving hers making her glow with warmth. 

Severus snuck his fingers inside of her clothes, caressing her soft skin, and was delighted when she shivered and he felt goose bumps spreading under his touch. He brought his hand up to tug gently on the clasp in her hair, freeing it, letting it all fall round her shoulders. He rolled her onto her back, dropping the clip on the floor, and trailed his kisses along her jaw. Burying his hand in her hair, forgetting if only for a while who and what he was, knowing only that she mattered. 

~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~

Florence surveyed her class of seventh year Gryffindors and Slytherins, wondering if they would ever be ready for their NEWTs at the end of the term. Some of them were, of course, but the ones that still found it necessary to read magazines at the back of the class and not make any notes she wasn't so sure about. 

"Miss Brown, your magazine." She said with a pleasant smile and expectant look. Lavender looked up guiltily and drew the offending item out from under the desk, between her and her friend Parvati, and handed it over. Florence was now in possession of a fashion magazine, all the latest robes and hairstyles. "While I'm sure this will be a great help to you in your NEWTs, I will have to confiscate it, you may have it back at the end of the day." 

Lavender snootily picked up her quill and started to write notes in big scrawly letters, dotting each 'I' with a small heart and scowling at her parchment. Florence could remember girls like that from when she was at school. 

Florence slapped the magazine down on her desk and perched on its edge, checking the time on the tiny silver watch she kept in her pocket. Not long until the end of the lesson. 

She was using a method that her DADA Professor had been fond of. She would set them so long to write as much as they could on a given subject, this was done on a variety of things and then it was possible to identify where their weaknesses were. It was clear that Hermione Granger thought she had no weaknesses, as, for each subject, she would ask for extra parchment. 

At the end of the lesson the class filed out leaving their last set of notes on the desk; while it was a good technique, it did leave you with a lot of marking. 

"I want you all to be ready for your practical mock assessments next week." Florence warned them all. "Not long to your NEWTs and I want you all to do well."

Lavender glanced from her magazine and then to her professor. Florence pretended not to notice and started cleaning her blackboard, keeping an eye on the girl as she slid haughtily out of the room. She had considered setting the two girls extra work, but then decided to give them another chance with the practical assessments; they would have only done a rush job of the work and shown none of their ability. 

Florence had just one more class before the end of the day: third years.

"Right, open your textbooks to page 223, please." Florence directed, perching on the front of the desk and finding the page herself. "Right. Fairies are small creatures with wings..."

Maggie sat in the middle of the two stony-faced boys, who still weren't speaking to each other. She inwardly shook her head, disapproving of their immaturity – it was only a small argument after all.

Professor Findal stood at the front of the class, waving her arms wildly, obviously really enthusiastic about her subject. She's really quite pretty, Maggie mused, and today she looks really flushed and happy. It's really remarkable that someone like Snape could bring that out in her.

"...Maggie?" Professor Findal was looking at her with sparkling green eyes.

"Err... sorry, Professor. I wasn't listening." Maggie looked slightly embarrassed as the rest of the class turned to look at her.

Professor Findal looked at her reprovingly. "I asked, what are the three plants most precious to fairies that, if damaged, they might seek retribution?"

Maggie thought for a second. "Hawthorne Trees, Foxglove and...Groundsel?"

"Very good, Maggie. 5 points for Gryffindor."

Maggie smiled a little and Professor Findal grinned at her before carrying on with the lesson.

"Caleb, name one herb that is potent against fairies." She said.

Caleb looked at her, as if dazed. "Err..."

_He's probably been staring at her chest for the past half-hour, Maggie thought. __How is he supposed to protect himself if all he learned in DADA is women's anatomy?_

"I don't know, professor." Caleb said, a little sorrowful.

"Jack? Do you know one?"

"Yarrow." Jack said, not looking up from the table and Professor Findal's forehead puckered worriedly.

"Are you alright, Jack? Would you like to go and see Madame Pomfrey?"

Some of the Slytherins sniggered and she gave them a disapproving look.

"No thank you, Professor. I'm fine." Jack mumbled but Professor Findal didn't look like she was convinced.

"Uh... Guthrie, could you name another one?" She looked questioningly and the Slytherin smiled smugly.

"St John's Wort. Maybe we should give some to Ivander?" He sniggered. "He's looking rather depressed. Over his _girlfriend, I hear."_

"5 points from Slytherin for rudeness." Professor Findal said and fixed Guthrie Alexander with a stare.

"I was only speaking the truth, Professor. Surely you're not condoning lying, are you?"

"Another 5 points from Slytherin for talking back. And, if you do not want any more House Points taken away, I suggest you be silent." Professor Findal looked quite enraged and Guthrie subsided. "Right. Fairies can be quite nasty – they carry off children, and sometimes adults, to fairyland. Once they get there, the kidnapped children cannot eat or drink or they will not be able to return."

Looking over the class to check that they were all listening, Florence caught sight of Jack Ivander and Caleb Cavell looking absolutely miserable, and Maggie Millstone in between looking rather confused. Wondering what could have happened, she decided to mention it to Minerva McGonagall, their Head of House, to see if she could sort it out. It was not like those three to be unhappy.

"I would like you to write an essay on the subject." She carried on speaking despite the moans that threatened to drown her speech "And I would like it in next Tuesday, without fail."

The bell rang, signalling the end of class and the pupils began to pack up. Sighing, Florence sat behind her desk and watched them go. 

Lavender would be back in a moment to pick up her inappropriate reading material. _And of course nothing distracted you from your NEWTs revision…Florence should probably cut them some slack; she hadn't exactly spent every last minute of her final term on study. _

There was a soft knock on the door. "Come in." Florence called and, expecting to see Lavender's perfectly groomed blond self appear in the doorway, was surprised to find Severus stood there. 

"Oh, hello. I didn't expect it to be you." She smiled at him, putting her quill down, and giving him all her attention; it wasn't difficult. The memories of her Birthday celebrations the night before made her smile.

He walked over and picked up the magazine on her desk, slowly raising an eyebrow. 

"Lavender Brown." She informed him, quelling any worries he might have about her running off to get her hair dyed white. "…She'll be back to pick it up in a minute." He set it back down on the desk, eyeing it warily. "Something bothering you?" He very rarely came and found her in her classroom at the end of the day. 

"No, you just weren't in your room." 

"Like I said - Lavender." 

Severus folded his arms across his chest and Florence had the overwhelming urge to get up and give him a hug. It was the most endearing little defence mechanism; he would never admit it was that though. He often did it when faced with students he disliked. 

Someone cleared their throat and Florence redirected her gaze, "Ah, Lavender, care to explain why you feel my lessons are so unimportant?" Florence was quite glad of Snape's presence, he had an amazing effect on students; they were greatly intimidated just by his presence. 

The girl stepped forward proudly, eyeing her property discreetly. "Well, everyone's really caught up with thinking about the Leaver's Ball aren't they? Parvati was just showing me which dress she's getting." Lavender gave Snape a wary look.

Florence had forgotten that there would be a Leaver's Ball…She felt her mind freeze for a moment, her eyes flickering over to Severus, before continuing. "And that's more important than defending yourself against the Dark Arts?" 

"It's not like I want to be an Auror or anything, and You-know-who won't rise _again. Why would a Beautiwitch need to know anything about DADA?" Lavender said with conviction. _

Florence couldn't help thinking that her career choice was probably wise. "Voldemort is not the only threat in the world. And everyone is at risk from the Dark Arts, not just Aurors." 

Lavender flinched at the mention of Voldemort's name but still looked unconvinced and this worried Florence. "I will see you next week. Be ready for your assessment; I will need people for demonstrations." That might put the wind up Lavender, Florence hoped as she handed her the magazine. 

Lavender glided out. 

"Such casual disregard for her own safety." Severus said with a scowl, "Typical Gryffindor."

Florence looked at him for a moment before folding her arms on the desk and laying her head on them with a heavy sigh. She heard a chair scrape and Severus lock the door but didn't look up. 

She felt him stroke the top of her head, "Speak." He commanded. Severus was usually the one to receive emotional support so, when he felt she needed it, he was usually at a loss to what to do. 

She looked up and gave him a wan smile. "Leaver's Ball." Enough said. 

"Ah…" He thought for a minute. "I'm sorry, I should have said something… I'm obligated to attend of course, being Head of House. I just presumed you would know."

Florence nodded and inspected her one bitten fingernail, raising it to do a little more damage. He took her hand, drawing it away. 

"I don't know how you're feeling." He said, his black eyes searching her face. 

"Neither do I, really." She admitted. "Nostalgic, confused, as though someone has just reminded me of a set of events in my life which still baffle the hell out of me-"

"Come with me this time." He squeezed her hand in both of his, cutting her off mid ramble. 

"Severus…" _Why did you leave me? She wasn't sure if she even wanted to go; the realisation that she felt almost as secure with him as she had the last time making her feel uncomfortable. He had made grand gestures then too, like last night, and he was making another one now. _

"Start doing things right…" He began to gently stroke her hand with his thumb. 

Florence shut her eyes and brought her other hand into the cluster, the urge to whisper words of love almost too much; she felt so mixed up. 

"Can I think about it? It's not for quite a while anyway..." 

Opening her eyes she saw him incline his head in an accommodating nod. "Come on," he said, "I expect you want to get out of those shoes."

~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~

Florence woke up and stretched, her eyes still closed. She sidled over to Severus' side of the bed, it was Saturday morning and she knew they had no reason to get up. The bed was empty. Her eyes snapped open and she peered around the room. There were strange robes led out on the bottom of the bed and she could hear him in the bathroom. 

It was the day of the Quidditch final; she had forgotten. Severus would be refereeing; so much for their lie in. 

It was already nearing the end of term… what was she going to do about the 7th year's ball? And what was going to happen over the holidays…? Florence yawned and stretched again, choosing not to think about it at that moment.

Severus stalked out of the bathroom, a towel wrapped around him, perched precariously on his hips. He strode determinedly towards the strange robes and she took the chance to admire him, unabashedly. Her gaze was halfway down his body when-

"So, you're awake then."

Florence dragged her eyes up to meet his amused ones, her face flaming at being caught in the act.

"Err... yes... So, I'm guessing those are your refereeing robes, then?" She changed the subject, quickly and squeakily, and Severus smirked, not at all convinced.

He picked up the robes and took off the towel, making Florence squirm, and his smirk increased. "Yes, they are." He put them on and turned to the mirror to do up the tiny silver clips. It took a lot of control to stop Florence's mouth opening and her tongue lolling out and hitting the floor.

Finishing fastening them up, he turned back to her, just in time to catch her look of pure lust. His smirk back in place, he gave her a knowing look. "If you carry on looking at me like that, my robes will set on fire."

Florence gulped, slightly embarrassed. "Promise me something." She blurted out, scrabbling to the end of the bed.

The smirk faded slightly and Severus didn't look so sure. "I..."

"Don't change without me after the match!" She smiled saucily and he grinned and nodded once, before giving her a quick kiss and striding out of the door.

~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~

A warm summer's day awaited the school as they dashed out to the Quidditch stadium to find their seats. Gryffindor was playing Slytherin in the final, so the supporters were wrapped up unnecessarily in their individual scarves, waving their banners wildly.

Maggie and Caleb found seats near the front of the stands and sat down, almost trembling in excitement. Well, Maggie was; Caleb was still not speaking to Jack for some forgotten reason that Maggie found pointless and immature. Despite this, he had agreed to come and watch the match to support his house.

Looking down at the Quidditch pitch, the excited smile was wiped quickly off of Maggie's face.

"Oh no..."

"What's up, Mags?" Caleb asked, trying to work out what she was looking at. His eyes halted on the figure of Snape mounting his broom.

"Snape's refereeing..." She moaned. "That's just what we need! We have no hope of winning the final now!"

Caleb was stopped from replying by the entrance of the two Quidditch teams. The two captains, Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy, stepped forward to shake hands. Caleb knew that it must be agony for Harry to have to shake hands with Malfoy, his worse enemy. It would be like him having to shake hands with Greg Reilly. Caleb shuddered.

Meanwhile, the two captains had shaken hands, albeit giving each other evil glares, and Maggie saw Snape lean down to warn the Gryffindor team about cheating. She felt herself tense with anger – why didn't he warn his own bloody team? They're the ones who cheat!

Both teams mounted their brooms and flew towards the skies. Snape released the balls and blew on the silver whistle that was looped around his neck.

"And they're off! Gryffindor in possession!" Seamus Finnigan yelled from the Staff Stands as the school craned their necks to see the action.

Sure enough, Jack was carrying the Quaffle at a fast pace, zooming on his Firebolt towards the Slytherin Keeper, Tom Tanner, who was squaring his broad shoulders, ready to fight.

Jack dodged a Bludger that was sent his way and sped up, avoiding the clash of Chasers in front of him. He swished the Quaffle through one of the hoops with an almost careless beat of his broom.

A roar came from the Gryffindor stands and the voice of Seamus Finnigan was almost drowned out.

"Woohoo! Yeah! Gryffindor leads 10 points to nil!" He cried, pumping the air with his fist and dropping the magic megaphone he was using to commentate. Professor McGonagall handed it back with a glare.

Corcoran Finch had grabbed the Quaffle and was making his way to the other hoops. Rosier, the Slytherin Beater, hit a Bludger directly at Harry Potter who was circling the stadium from up high. Zimraan Saladin blocked the bludger and sent it back the way it came with a cocky grin.

Finch side-flew the other Chasers but failed to avoid a Beater that was flung in his direction by Ryan Ryman, the other Gryffindor Beater. He wobbled precariously but kept his hold on his broomstick. The Quaffle flew through the air and was caught by Greg Reilly who threw it through a hoop, levelling the two teams. 

Snape's face twisted in what Maggie assumed was a smile, but looked more like a grimace. Knowing he wasn't paying attention to her, she took the opportunity to stick her tongue out at him – after all, who knew when she may get the opportunity again. Caleb elbowed Maggie in the arm, forcing her to turn her attention back to the game.

She fixed her eyes on Harry Potter who was doing a magnificent nose-dive on his White-Lightningbolt broom. He must have seen the Snitch, she realised. Alas, it was not to be. He got hit with a bludger causing him to sway slightly and lose sight of it.

"Wow. He sure knows his way around a broom..." Florence mumbled, still in awe at how attractive Severus looked in his referee robes. Not being one for "dressing-up", she was quite amazed at her sudden and forceful reaction.

"Sorry, my dear?" Filbert Flitwick asked from her left side and she brought herself out of her thoughts immediately.

"Oh, nothing, Filbert. Nothing at all."

"Enjoying the game, Florence?" Dumbledore asked from her other side and his eyes twinkled knowingly at her. Florence felt her stomach drop. _He can't know what I was thinking... He can't read minds... he can't know!_

"Mmm... Yes. Fascinating..." Florence gulped and made an effort to turn her attention back to the game, just in case.

Tamara Tate, a 5th year, was in possession of the Quaffle and was zooming ferociously towards the hoops. She was being chased closely by Malcolm Baddock and Liam Rosier, who were gaining on her. Rosier slowed down slightly, enough to aim a Bludger at her head. She toppled off her broomstick and fell to the floor, amid the gasps of her fellow Gryffindors. Rosier and Baddock exchanged a high-five.

Maggie looked at Snape to see if he was going to call a foul but he was looking the other way (the bastard!).

"FOUL! FOUL! Ref., that's a foul!" Seamus was shrieking down the megaphone, deafening anyone within close range. "The cheating, horrible Slytherins are now in possession!"

Professor McGonagall gave him a warning look. "I thought I'd got rid of all this when Lee Jordan left!" She sighed.

Greg Reilly held the Quaffle close to his chest, occasionally passing it back and forth to Corcoran Finch. They neared the hoops and threw it in, to the annoyance of Adam Baxter, the Gryffindor Keeper.

"Slytherin lead 20 to 10! Not that they deserve it..." Seamus mumbled in an undertone, unfortunately too near the megaphone and it got amplified. Snape gave Seamus a look before swooping around the pitch as before.

Jack by now was getting impatient. He grabbed the Quaffle off of Finch and elbowed him in the face, speeding away towards the goal. Snape blew his whistle and fouled him, which caused great unrest in the stadium.

"The low-down, sneaky..." Caleb muttered to himself about Snape, forgetting for a second that he and Jack weren't speaking.

Draco Malfoy was following Harry Potter around the stadium, trying to watch him rather than find the Snitch himself. 

Max Upwood, another Slytherin Beater, aimed a carefully directed Bludger at Natalie McDonald, who was flying around the stadium, holding the Quaffle. She threw it to Jack, who flew straight towards the goal posts. Throwing it in lazily, as if this match wasn't hard at all, he scored another 10 points for Gryffindor, again levelling the teams. Unfortunately for both teams – for Slytherin, because he had already scored the points, Jack got hit in the face with a Bludger and tumbled to the floor to join his fellow Chaser, Tamara Tate.

The Gryffindor stands again vibrated with boos and gasps. 

"There's only one Gryffindor chaser left! Harry Potter better hurry up and catch the Golden Snitch!" Maggie mumbled worriedly to Caleb and he nodded vehemently.

As if he had heard them, Harry Potter nose-dived towards the stadium floor, obviously in search of the Snitch. Malfoy followed him and they were neck-and-neck, hurtling towards the floor at a terrible speed. Oddly, Potter moved away first and sped in the opposite direction. He'd eluded Malfoy, who bumped along the floor on his broom.

Maggie heard Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger cheering behind her and turned to give them a smile. When she turned back round, Harry Potter was reducing height, the Snitch held high in his right hand.

"That's 170 points to 20! GRYFFINDOR WIN!" Seamus was jumping up and down in glee, an action that Professor McGonagall was nearly copying, until Snape caught sight of her and she sat down abruptly.

Snape swooped down to the floor and threw his broom down and spat bitterly on the floor.

Florence, who was watching from above in the staff stands, wrinkled her nose at the sight _(Some things never change!) and Professor Flitwick patted her hand in sympathy._

Maggie and Caleb ran down onto the pitch towards Jack who was lying awkwardly on his back; his leg was twisted at a funny angle. A small crowd was forming around him and Maggie and Caleb pushed their way to the centre. Kneeling down on the warm grass, Maggie tried to revive him.

"Jack? Hey, Jack! You won! You've won the Quidditch cup!"

"That's not gonna help!" Caleb knelt down beside her and started slapping Jack's face. "HEY! GET UP!"

Grabbing at Caleb's hands, Maggie gave him a glare. "And that's supposed to help is it?"

A groan came from behind her and she watched as Jack's eyelids fluttered and opened. She avoided the smug look Caleb was sending her way and instead concentrated on her injured friend - not her soon-to-be-injured friend. 

"Jack, are you OK? Gryffindor won the Quidditch cup!"

"Mmhhmm... Ouch!" Jack yelled as Caleb touched his injured leg. "What did you do that for, you idiot?!"

"No reason." Caleb grinned and Jack, despite being in pain, grimaced back.

"Out of the way!" Professor McGonagall shouted. "Are you alright there, Jack?"

Jack nodded a little. "How's Tamara? Is she OK?"

"I'm fine!" The blonde chaser yelled from a few metres to his left where she was suspended on a stretcher.

Maggie scowled at her and Jack grinned. _About time she was jealous..._

"See you in the Hospital Wing!" Jack shouted at her and she waved.

Professor McGonagall levitated Jack on a stretcher and walked up with him to the Infirmary, Maggie and Caleb following behind.

~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~

"You're very petty, Severus." Florence chastised. 

There was only one possible come back:_ "Thank you."_

She sighed, making her exasperation clear. They were stood just outside the pitch, herding out the last remaining students. 

She watched as two students were slowly dawdling their way up to the school, obviously too in to each other to notice the impatient professors that were waiting for them.

"Mansfield, Bosworth! Get a move on!" Florence called to them impatiently and Severus smirked, knowing exactly the reason she wanted them to hurry up.

"Yes, Professor." They chanted and, with one quick, worried look at Severus' face, sped up their stride.

"Is that the last of them?" Florence muttered in an aside to Severus, who was still smirking at her attitude.

"Just a couple more." He said, taking advantage of the situation to wind her up.

Florence scowled which was enough to make the remaining students quicken their stride. 

"Err... Professor Findal?" Cosmo Burns was making his way towards them, glancing anxiously at Snape. "Can I have a word with you, please?"

"What is it, Cosmo?" Florence practically growled and Severus' smirk increased tenfold.

"Err... it's about the end of year exams. I just wanted to know if riddles were going to be in it." The small Hufflepuff said nervously.

"You know I can't tell you that. Now, hurry up or you'll be late for your lunch."

Cosmo shot her a worried look – _what's biting her? – and carried on into the school._

Severus clucked his tongue against his teeth annoyingly. "Now, that was no way to treat one of your favourite students."

"Why not? You do it all the time!"

"That is because I don't have any favourite students."

"Oh yeah? What about Draco Malfoy?"

Severus raised his eyebrow and Florence huffed.

"Come on. We're wasting good time just standing here!" With that, she turned and went back into the school and up to her rooms.

Severus paused for a second before following her in.

~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~

Authors' Notes:

Hello, 

Big thanks to everyone who reviewed and special thanks to those who are mentioned below.

**Becki: Thanks for helping us with the birthday gift. I told ya Martha had something up her sleeve! We love you lots and wish you well in your exams. We're sure you'll do fine!**

Oh, and thanks for giving us the answers to the riddles. We were dying with curiosity about some of them! You must admit, we didn't do too badly. ;-)

**Starlight: Thanks for your compliments about the rhymes. Squirrel got her first spurt of inspiration, believe it or not, in Waterstones while searching for a new riddle book (she lost her old one!). Finishing them off took a bit longer!**

**Kbear: Thanks for saying our story has quality – you're the first! And thanks for saying you love our sense of humour! Squirrel blushed when you said that! It really means a lot.**

See you all soon,

Martha and Squirrel.

xxx.


	21. End of Term Not Tale

Chapter 22: End of Term Not Tale

Disclaimer: We don't own the characters or places or anything recognisable from the Harry Potter Books 'cause they belong to J. K. Rowling. 

~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~

Severus had paper spread all over his office. It was Wednesday afternoon, when he had no classes. He had always been organised. He had all his end of year exams carefully planned and had them on an eight-year rotation cycle. Seven years would have sufficed, but he liked the opportunity to mix things up and add a surprise or two just incase someone had a conveniently aged brother or sister. Occasionally he would go as far as devising a whole new examination. He had been going to that trouble for this year's Seventh years. He had spent the last three years working on their theory paper and he would soon be able to collect the fruits of his labour. 

He was just getting all the other examinations in order, never having been one to leave such things to the last minute. 

Severus did not envy Florence, being in her first year of teaching she had a lot of groundwork to do. Although she had started early he had barely got to spend an evening with her in two weeks. He'd offered to help, but she wouldn't hear of it. She worked well past midnight almost every night and it made him feel guilty for having only to tie ends together to prepare exams. 

He would have all of them neatly filed, and ready to present to the students over the next two weeks, by the end of the afternoon. 

She wouldn't even have time to recover from setting the exams before she had to begin marking them. 

~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~

Severus came in and found that she was still sat at her desk, the plate of sandwiches next to her hardly touched. Florence had told him to go to dinner alone; she had to keep working. He had reluctantly agreed. 

He sighed, seeing her run her fingers through her long hair and then rummage frustratedly through some papers. 

Severus walked over and knelt down next to her chair. "Stop." He commanded. "You've done enough for one night." He gently held her quill arm. 

"And what do you suppose I tell Albus when the children have no tests to sit?" He could tell that she was so stressed that she was not being at all productive. 

"Tell me which exams you have finished."

She sighed and thought about it. "First years, fifth, sixth and seventh."

"Well, that's next weeks sorted out." He stated firmly. "You need a break, now come on… lets have an early night." He got up and indicated that she should do the same. 

"Severus… I'm _really not up to-"_

"Not for that." He cut her off abruptly, a little shocked that she thought he was pulling her away from her work, when she was obviously exhausted, for sex. "Would you like a bath?"

She nodded dumbly and let him take her hand.

When she padded out of the bathroom, yawning into her fist, he drew the sheets back for her. "Can I get you anything?" He asked. 

"I'd love a cup of tea." Florence propped herself up in bed and watched him. "…I'm sorry I've been such lousy company lately." She stifled another yawn.

"I'm sorry you've had so much to do. I'd forgotten what the first years of teaching were like. And I didn't have someone distracting me all the time." He gave her a cup of tea and she wrapped her hands round it, sighing deeply, obviously more content. 

Severus sat himself on the bed next to her, adjusting the pillows so he was propped up too. It occurred to him that they were on each other's sides of the bed. 

"It's not your fault…" She yawned again then took a swig of her drink. "Thank you for stopping me, I wasn't getting much done anyway." 

When she finished her tea, Florence put the cup on her bedside table. She lent her head on his shoulder and was surprised when he put his arm round her, settling down a little so she could snuggle into him. "Severus?" She murmured, deciding that it was about time she brought up some of the things that she running out of time to decide on.

"Yes." 

"…Do you normally go home for the summer?" 

There was a pause. "Yes."

She thought for a while. She had hoped this would open up a conversation about what _they would do over the summer. Severus didn't even seem to want her in his dungeons at Hogwarts so she couldn't imagine him wanting her to go home with him. Why did they stay here all the time? Surely it would make sense for him to be in the dungeons near the Slytherin common room… That familiar uneasy feeling came back, it would sometimes go away for weeks but it always came back._

Florence played with the buttons running down over his stomach. Perhaps she would just have to take the bull by the horns on this one. "Severus, what are we going to do over the summer? Do you want to come back to my house with me?" There. She'd said it. 

"I'd love to." He squeezed her shoulder and kissed the top of her head, flooding with relief and feeling her sigh with what he presumed was the same. He'd had no idea what to say to her about it, his home in Lincolnshire being no place to take her. She seemed to have skirted round his discomfort for him.

_That wasn't so bad! Why don't you try another? They could sort out the finer points nearer the time. "While we're sorting things out… I need to decide on the Seventh Year's Ball."_

"You don't have to come. It was insensitive of me to ask." 

"No…I… I think I need to put those demons to bed." Saddened by her words, but also understanding, Severus started stroking her hair. "…I suppose I'll need a nice dress." She yawned into him.

"I suppose you will." He looked at her; she looked fantastic even her old sack of a bed robe. Severus wondered if it might be nice to get her something to wear as a present, but then she would probably want to choose her dress herself. Should he take her shopping? Or let her worry about it? "Florence?" He said faintly. 

He got no reply.

"Flo?"

Nothing. She was already asleep, her head resting on his chest.

"I love you." He mouthed silently into her hair as she slept, needing to say it but not having the courage or faith in himself.

He led with her for a while longer, the early evening light outside the window slowly fading, before eventually sliding out from under her to go and get ready for bed himself.

~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~

"Professor?" 

"Yes, Harry." Florence had just dismissed her Seventh years from their last ever DADA Lesson and was just cleaning the blackboard (from their end of term game of Hangman, she just hoped no one mentioned it to Severus; he would go on about it for hours) when she was approached. She turned and smiled warmly at him, he was a nice boy, a lot like his dad in looks and manner.

"Um… Did you know my dad?" Harry blurted out, unsure how else to broach the subject. "I mean, you knew Sirius, I just thought…" He stood ringing his hands. 

Florence hadn't expected him to say that and didn't quite know what to say, She had known James of course, and Lilly. "Um…yes Harry, yes I did." She took a deep breath. "Would you like to sit down?" Florence half wanted to tell him a hundred anecdotes and half wanted to send him on his way. The marauders, a group of five capable and happy wizards had been reduced to one man in the space of just two days. She herself had been something of a wreck at the time; just a month or so after her family had been taken. 

Harry watched as her expression quickly became very sad. 

Florence sighed thoughtfully. "We were in the same year here, I was quite good friends with your Dad and the others." She offered him a wan smile, remembering the night of their leaver's Ball. 

"So you would have known Professor Lupin too?"

"Oh, of course, he's taught here too hasn't he?" Florence remembered. "When you were in…third year?" She made an educated guess.

"That's right." Harry smiled. 

"Infact…" Florence thought of something. "I have something you might like to see." She tried to remember what she had done with her photo album. "Give me a minute." Harry looked suitably curious as she got up and went through to her office, Florence couldn't imagine why she had left it in there. 

She bent down to the bottom shelf of one of the bookcases, lifting out the dusty album. She flicked straight to the back, knowing that the front contained family pictures. Se took out a single photo, and wiped the dust off with her sleeve, then went back through to the classroom.

"Here." She handed the picture to the boy on the other side of her desk. 

He reached for it, taking in the row of smiling people. She saw his face light up. "That's my Mum and Dad." He pointed, a look of total fascination on his features as he examined the image of his parents gazing at one another. "And that's Sirius… I don't know her…" He looked up at Florence, his expression questioning.

"This was taken at our leaver's Ball…" Florence perched on the edge of her desk and poured over the picture with him. "That's my best friend Heather, she went to the ball with Sirius." 

"And that's Professor Lupin… He's with you." 

"That's right." 

"You don't look much different." Harry was grinning widely. 

"Well, thank you, Harry." 

"The picture isn't moving." Harry's brow creased in confusion. 

"No… Wizard pictures always made me feel a bit dizzy." She told him with a smile.

"You're Muggle born?" Harry hadn't realised and probably never would have if she hadn't said that.

"Yep, I never knew I was a witch until I got my letter." 

"Same as me. It's a bit of a shock isn't it?" 

"You can say that again. I had no idea what I was coming into…it's fascinating though, I can't imagine living my life as a muggle and never knowing that Wizards exist." Florence had often felt very lucky to be a witch, despite the trouble it had brought for her family, she couldn't imagine living in such ignorance.

Harry handed her the picture back. 

"Oh no, you keep it, I never look at it anyway." 

"If you're sure?" Harry looked searchingly at the image again, he couldn't wait to go and show Ron and Hermione. 

"Of course. And I hope you get the results you want next week." She held the door for him as he left her classroom still giving the picture glances. 

"Thank you, Professor."

Florence might have lost her parents but couldn't imagine never having known them at all; Harry must feel as though there is a whole part of himself that he knows nothing of.

~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~

Caleb Cavell stumbled his way out of his Potions exam looking like he needed to sleep for a week. He had huge bags under his eyes and his hair was stuck up all over his head like he had just rolled out of bed and into the exam. In actual fact, he had spent most of the exam time running his fingers through it, trying to refrain from pulling it out. And that nasty Professor Snape hadn't helped, leering down over his work as if he'd done it all wrong, which he probably had. 

"Ugh!"

"Well, I didn't think that was too bad..." Maggie fell into step beside him and chirped cheerfully.

Caleb gave her a glare. "You wouldn't."

Maggie smiled at the backhanded compliment and shrugged at him. "Well, if you had started revising when I said you should have, instead of at the last minute, then you wouldn't have been so worried!"

"I wasn't worried! It was only an exam."

"Only an exam, eh? That's not what you were saying last night in the dorms." Jack grinned as he joined his two friends. Caleb glared at him as Maggie laughed.

"Ugh!" Caleb said again as Maggie and Jack stared at each other. "If I have to watch you two make goo-goo eyes at each other one more time, I'm gonna vomit all over you."

"Sorry, Caleb." They said in unison and grinned.

"How's your leg holding up, old timer?"

"For the thousandth time, it's fine. Madame Pomfrey fixed it up real nice."

"OK, OK. I was only making conversation!" Caleb put his hands up in front of him defensively.

"We'd better get back to the common room and start revising for our next exam." Maggie said, pulling out the huge revision timetable she had made up. It had been cross-referenced in different colours and made as much sense to the boys as a star-chart.

"But the next exam is in two days!" Caleb complained. "We've got plenty of time!"

Maggie gave him a look. "That's what you said last time and look how much you were panicking. Come on, I'll test you on palmistry."

She moved on ahead and the boys followed slowly behind giving each other long-suffering looks.

"Don't look at me! You're the one going out with her!" Caleb declared before they followed her into the common room.

~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~

The last exam paper was marked; a first year by the name of Alex Erhard passed with flying colours. Florence sighed, put her quill down and, reaching over to the back of her desk, screwed the tops back on her jars of ink. She got up from her desk, feeling very proud of herself, and decided that she deserved a cup of tea. There was nothing more depressing than tea for one though. 

She found that giving her younger students an easier time was a good way of making her marking a less arduous task. Severus, on the other hand, was still down in his office. 

They had made an agreement; this week the evenings would be sacrificed completely for the possibility of a free weekend. Half the exams had been taken the week before and the rest this week. They had until Monday to get everything marked and the results in. 

Florence checked her pocket watch; it was eleven-thirty. She yawned and rubbed her eyes, wondering how long she should wait up for Severus. A series of midnight turn ins had left her utterly washed out. She picked up her scrumpled bed robe and headed for the bathroom for a quick swill. There was no point to having a weekend together if she was too tired to enjoy it. She put clothes out on the bed for the morning and climbed under the covers, sinking down onto the pillows. It felt odd going to bed without Severus now. It struck her how much she would miss him if he wasn't around. The thought made her stomach tighten and her throat contract as she slipped into a weird place of panic inside her brain. She emerged to find herself viciously biting one fingernail and had to make herself stop. She slid over onto his side of the bed and gathered up his pillow, pushing her face in it and willing the door to quietly open. 

Her old house, but there were no people there, had the death eaters been already? Something was wrong… it was cold, was the door left open? No. 

A draft swept past her arm but no one was there. Were they? 

A shape, a form more than anything else, seen just out of the corner of her eye made Florence whip round only to find nothing there, Just the furniture, exactly how it should be, and the ornaments and pictures.

Where was everyone? She started up stairs, determined to find them. There it was again, just in her peripheral vision- 

Nothing. Why? What was it? 

She started to run up the stairs, it wouldn't be able to catch her; she didn't want it to catch her. Didn't really want to know what it was. 

Where were they? Her parents' bed was made but her brother's was pulled back and ruckled. They would keep her safe, they always had done…

She hadn't kept them safe. Safe from what though?

There it was again, only not. Closer now. Her heart started to pound, filling her ears with that rushing sound. Right next to her, why couldn't she see it? 

Florence tore down the stairs, but it was everywhere except where she looked. She couldn't get away.

"Flo." 

She screamed. 

"Florence!" 

She gasped, as he held her stopping her from scrabbling.

"Open your eyes. It's fine." Someone touched her face; she bit her lip to stop from screaming. "It's alright I promise, stop struggling." His arms relaxed a little.

She forced her eyes open.

He watched, worried as she opened her eyes, her whole body stiff with panic and her heart pounding. She stared for a few seconds, then sighed and lent into him. Florence very rarely had nightmares; in fact Severus had only known it happen once before. He lent back, settling her head into the crook of his neck, stoking her hair. Her fists tightened, gripping a piece of fabric at the back of his nightshirt. She quilted, making a little sound and he felt her body shake. Florence was crying. He let her, having no concept of what to do, and just held her close to him, rocking slightly. She soaked a patch of his nightshirt with her tears, as she sobbed herself back to sleep. 

Florence yawned into Severus' collar, lifting her head and finding that her eyes were all sticky. She shifted, freeing a hand to rub them. 

Severus' eyes fluttered and he yawned too. "Sorry, did I wake you?" Florence said groggily. 

"Not that time." He looked concerned; it must be serious. 

"What do you mean?" She was still rubbing her eyes.

"You had a disturbed night." 

"Oh… Sorry." She felt daft.

"You couldn't help it." 

"I…I know." She ran her fingers through her tangled hair, trying to calm it. Deciding to change the subject, she said; "What did you have planned for today?" Curling her arm back over him, she pressed the lengths of their bodies together and smiled at him as sweetly as she could. 

"I'm going to brew the next stage of my suspension potion." 

"Oh…" Florence couldn't help but be a little disappointed.

"Oh, what?" He arched an eyebrow.

"I thought we would be spending the weekend together." She said honestly. 

"We said it would be a 'free weekend'; I didn't know that meant we had to spend it together."

"It doesn't." Florence assured. "I'd just been hoping…" She trailed off, realising that she really didn't give him enough time for the things he really loved to do. "I… It's fine, really. You haven't had time for any brewing for ages." She smiled and squeezed him a little tighter in what she hoped was a reassuring gesture. 

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, of course…" Something occurred to her. "Can I help you?" 

"Help me?" His eyebrows were definitely being kept busy. "…How?"

Florence realised that she didn't know the first thing about what he was dong. "…I don't know, I could pass you things… or go for snacks." She grinned sheepishly.

"Will you let me say no?"

"Probably not." Florence knew herself only too well. 

"Very well then, you may 'help'" Severus enunciated the word 'help' to let her know that he was deeply sceptical. He rolled her over onto her back and lightly tickled at her midriff. "Severus." She gasped. 

He sniggered and started to work up her robe.

"Severus…! I thought you wanted to make potions!" She all but squealed

He chuckled. "They can wait." He muttered, his breath hot on her neck, making her whole body shudder.

Florence fingered the corner of the sheet, watching Severus doing up the buttons on the front of his clothes in front of the full-length mirror.

"Severus? Why do you have so many buttons?"

He turned to glare before going back to his task.

"I mean, they're so troublesome."

"Florence." He growled warningly.

"Alright..." Florence sat up, gathering the sheet around her to hide her nakedness.

"You'd better start getting ready. This potion takes a while to brew and you were rather adamant about helping." Severus finished with the buttons and sat down on the bed to put his boots on.

Florence sighed and padded quickly into the bathroom and out of sight. The sound of the shower could be heard through the closed door.

By the time he had done up his boots, Florence had reappeared, walking through the bathroom door, rubbing her hair with a towel.

Florence muttered a little spell to dry her hair and in no time was climbing into the robe she had previously set aside the night before.

~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~

Hermione looked down at her paper in triumph. She had done it! She had become a witch!

Turning to Harry, she saw a similar expression on his face and, when she caught his eye, he gave her an ecstatic grin. Ron was looking a bit more dazed. Hermione peered over his shoulder.

"Oh, Ron... It's not that bad... at least you passed." She consoled.

Ron looked at her in amazement before a grin spread across his face. "Not bad? It's bloody brilliant!"

Hermione looked at him in shock as Harry laughed.

"Well done, Ron." He patted his friend's shoulder and Ron returned the gesture.

"We're wizards! Hey, anyone fancy sneaking into Hogsmeade and getting a quick butterbeer?"

"Ron!" Hermione gasped disapprovingly and Ron grinned.

"It was only a suggestion..."

Hermione peered over the boys' shoulders at their results and compared them to hers.

"Oh, Harry... surely you could have done better than that in Charms? Professor Flitwick said I'd done really well... but I didn't expect to do this well..."

The boys groaned inwardly as they realised that this was going to go on for a while.

"And Ron, you're Defence Against the Dark Arts mark is a bit low, isn't it? I was thinking of going into DADA and with my mark, I definitely would be accepted..."

"What do you want? A medal or a chest to put it on?" Malfoy had sidled over and was giving her a derisive look. Hermione looked shocked at his comment but Harry stepped in.

"So, are you're marks as good as Hermione's, Malfoy? Or is your daddy going to get really cross..." Harry mimicked a baby in the last sentence and Draco's pale, pinched face pinkened with rage.

Turning to his friends, Harry said, "Come on, we'd better get back to the Common Room and see what Neville, Seamus and the rest got."

And they did, leaving Draco standing there with invisible smoke steaming out of his ears.

~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~

There was an Auror's Ball every spring. The last one Florence had attended she had worn a dress that she had fallen completely in love with while out shopping with her Aunt in a Muggle shopping centre. Not wanting to waist the purchase, she decided to dig it out for the occasion of the Seventh Year's Leaver's Ball. After all, no one there would have seen her in it. For all they knew it was a new dress, and it was such a shame to waste something she had spent so much money on and loved so much. 

She had taken an hour to apparate home for it in one of her free lessons the day before and was now just fighting with the zip. Going home had seemed funny, she had stayed at Hogwarts for so long without going back; her neighbours would be wondering what had happened. In a way she was quite looking forward to the first few weeks of the holiday; she could go down the pub and catch up with everyone before disappearing off again to Australia. Florence just wasn't so sure about how good Severus would be at dealing with living in such close quarters with muggles. 

Her and Severus seemed to have known without saying a word to the other that they should get ready separately. 

Severus surfaced from the dungeons, into the entrance hall, to see Florence in an animated discussion with Filbert Flitwick. He stepped into the shadows outside the dungeon entrance, wishing only to observe this party for the moment. 

He watched her, barely noticing the children that milled between them. Her shoes showed off her feet and ankles, perfect in every sense. She wore a long black dress, cut diagonally across the front to show off more of her right leg that her left. The fabric clung lovingly to the curve of her hips and the thin straps came down to cross over her breasts. 

Severus suddenly felt very conscious of the looks she was getting. She was lovely, but that was no way to look at a professor. He felt suddenly very possessive and had an overwhelming urge to put some sort of label on her, identifying her as his. Not that he had any competition; there was no one else there that wasn't eighteen, one hundred and eighteen or one hundred and eighteen centimetres tall, except for the guy who taught Ancient Runes, who had a beard and never spoke to anyone and the Muggle studies Professor, Nimrod Parker, wasn't there; he was at some ridiculous Muggle sporting event in France.

As he emerged from the shadows to approach her he noticed that she was wearing a delicate silver necklace. Florence didn't wear jewellery as a rule; she said that it got in her way. The tiny stone that hung from the chain was the same emerald as her eyes. He curbed the urge to reach out and touch it, had they been alone he would have commented. As it was he greeted her politely. 

Discreetly taking in the elaborate knot that she had fashioned at the back of her head, Severus found himself planning the quickest method of dishevelling it; he should probably curtail those thoughts as well.  

Walking into the Great Hall just after eight pm when the doors were thrown open, between a few sets of students, at a respectable distance from one another (just two professors) Florence noticed that the tables were not set out as usual but in smaller groups. The teachers still had one larger table though, at the back, and there seemed to only be two seats left, next to each other. Florence felt herself grin and hid it by clearing her throat into her fist. 

She tried to look interested in all the children, as they giggled excitedly and gazed at their partners, when all she wanted to do was sidle closer to Severus and hitch her arm in his. He looked rather dashing, though not too dissimilar than the way he looked everyday. His dress robes were more elaborate than his day ones, delicate and perfectly tailored pleating bordered the long line of buttons that stretched from high collar to knees. His usual cape was replaced with one of a lighter fabric that had subtle and barely noticeable black embroidery around the edges.

Professor Dumbledore had arranged a special magical orchestra to play magical instruments. Florence had only seen one once before and had been utterly fascinated. Some of the students were already dancing, treading on each other's feet and being immediately forgiven. 

They reached the staff table and Severus sat, his eyes scrutinising every pupil in the hall as if she weren't there. Florence didn't want him to gaze at her in utter adoration in front of the entire Great Hall, and he knew as well as she did the complications of allowing the pupils to know of their involvement. She would settle for a dance later; a smile crept over her face and she touched Severus' thigh discreetly beneath the table.  

"Wow" and "Excellent" were the comments made as the seventh years entered the Great Hall. With their departure so close at hand, their Leaver's Ball had been the most talked about event for months. And now it was finally here.

Daria Fawcett felt a bit emotional as she swept into the room on the arm of Roger Stebbins. They had been an item since the Yule Ball 3 years ago so it had been taken for granted that they would come together. She brushed a tear away from her misty eyes. All the boys looked so handsome and the girls were so beautiful; though that was impossible because Millicent Bulstrode could never look anything beyond ugly.

She waved frantically at her friends and fellow Hufflepuffs, Susan Bones and Hannah Abbott and they came over to say hello.

"Wow! You look great!" Susan said, straightening her long purple robe.

"So do you!" Daria declared.

"Yeah, she's a peach, isn't she?" Ernie MacMillan butted in and grinned proudly at his partner.

"Oh! Look at Hermione Granger!" Hannah cried and pointed across the room where Hermione stood arm in arm with Viktor Krum.

"Wow, she looks so pretty." The other girls agreed. 

"What's he doing here? He's not in our year!" Justin Finch-Fletchley complained.

"Special circumstances, I heard." Roger Stebbins said secretly. "Dumbledore invited him just for our Head Girl."

Ernie scowled. "Personally, I think Susan should have been Head-"

"Shut up, Ernie. I think they've all heard your opinion on that topic!" His partner remonstrated.

"But..." He was silenced with a look.

"Ooh! Dancing!" Hannah cried just as the music started and her partner, Justin, looked very worried. "Let's go!" She cried and started dragging him on to the floor, ignoring his protestations.

The rest of the boys sniggered until they were dragged onto the floor, too.

Draco Malfoy entered the room with an insolent swagger. He looked down his nose at the Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws who were having a great deal of fun getting down in the middle of the floor. He had a younger Slytherin girl on his arm, who matched him perfectly – from the arrogant walk to the snobby look.

"Did we really have to come, Draco? I have better things to do than hang around with losers..." She whined and Draco looked slightly annoyed.

"Yes, we do, Estella." He said through gritted teeth, causing her to pout.

"Well, you don't have to be so mean, Draco." 

"You know, if you weren't so empty-headed, I'd..."

"Is that a threat?" Estella smiled evilly.

"Yes." Draco smirked. "And if you're not careful, I'll finish it later."

"Is that a promise?"

Draco rolled his eyes. "Come on."

Harry Potter and Ron Weasley were sat down at a table in the corner with their respective partners.

"Well, I didn't know that Malfoy was so hard up for dates that he would bring his own cousin to the ball!" Ron sniggered.

"Shut up, Ron! Anyone would think you wanted to be his partner, the amount of time you spend talking about him!" Ginny chipped in, laughing.

Ron glared at her.

"Hey, Hermione!" He quickly changed the subject as his friend took a seat at the table. "How ya doing?"

Hermione gave him a strange look before smiling at the rest of the table.

"Well, you needn't be so... Wow!" Ron gazed past her towards the staff table.

"Eh?" Hermione tried to twist round to see what he was looking at.

Professor Findal and Snape had just entered the Great Hall and were seating themselves at one of the tables.

"Don't tell me, after all these years, you've fallen deeply in love with Snape!" Hermione giggled at the thought. "Now that would be a turn up for the books!"

"No, not Snape! Professor Findal. Doesn't she scrub up nice?"

"Mmhhmm." Harry agreed and Ginny whacked his arm.

"Hey! You're supposed to be my partner, you big goon!" She cried.

"Yeah, you too Ron!" Ron's partner and Ginny's friend, Felicity Monroe spoke up.

"OK. I'm not looking... Wanna dance?" Ron asked.

"What? Don't tell me you've been practising?" Felicity said incredulously.

"No. Why?"

"No reason." She hid a smirk behind her fist and dragged him onto the floor.

Harry raised one eyebrow at Ginny and they followed them.

"Yah know Ron, hasn't it occurred to you that Professor Findal is the only Defence against the Dark Arts Professor that Snape hasn't openly loathed." Harry leaned over to speak to his friend as they passed on the dance floor.

"Are you capable of talking about anything else?" Ginny asked, steering Harry over to the other side of the floor.

"Sorry." Harry outwardly returned his attention to his date but inside his brow furrowed with confusion; how come, when Professor Findal had been so friendly with his Dad, did Snape not hate her like he seemed to everyone else?

The Hogwarts house elves once again out did themselves and Florence had found herself facing the usual debate over deserts. 

The magical orchestra had been playing faint background music during their food, but were now starting to fill the hall with their enchanting melodies. Florence sat transfixed as the wizards and witches on the stage started to really play. Professor Dumbledore made the first move to dance by whisking Minerva round the room at a sprightly pace. Soon the Seventh Years were joining them and the entire hall seemed alive.

During the course of the evening Professor Dumbledore worked his way along the Staff table, asking all the female Staff to Dance. When he reached Florence she accepted, thankful for the excuse to get up and not have to sit there awkwardly. She gave Severus a pointed look behind the headmasters back and followed him onto the floor. All the other staff seemed to be dancing; why Severus couldn't just bite the bullet and dance with her once was eluding her completely. She'd sat through one leaver's Ball wishing she were dancing with him; she wasn't about to settle for another. He was dangerously close to getting a good talking to. 

Albus was an exceptional dancer, and Florence couldn't help her spirits rising slightly, as he spun her round the floor amongst the excited teenagers, only to have feel them ebb once more. She stole a look at Severus as they passed; he looked utterly unaffected, he wasn't even watching. Florence couldn't help feeling like a teenager, she was spending the night gazing at the one person she wanted to dance with and who was never going to ask; this wasn't supposed to happen anymore. If she were a muggle she would be classed as middle-aged and gone to seed, it was about time she had someone to dance with at things like this. By this age her mother was married and had two children-__

Albus must have picked up on her less that cheerful mood; "Enjoying the evening, Florence?" 

He looked oddly sympathetic and it gave Florence the impression that people were feeling sorry for her rather than happy for her. She was surprised by her own irritation. How dare he be sympathetic regarding Severus, she had chosen him after all, it wasn't like everyone drew lots for a date and she'd got landed with the duff one. She put on a winning smile; "Yes it's fantastic, I've only ever seen a Magical Orchestra once before, and everyone seems to be having such a good time." _Except perhaps Severus…_She added to herself.

The song ended and Albus lead her back to her seat. Florence had chosen to come with Severus and what did it really matter that he wouldn't dance? Did she really want him to be uncomfortable just for her? 

Events like this always depressed Florence. She either went alone or with someone she didn't want to be with; spending the whole night watching other people be happy. Foolishly she had thought she might be able to get through this one and maintain a positive frame of mind. 

_Pull yourself together! He won't dance…Oh no, the world's ending! _Said a sarcastic voice in the back of her mind. _You really want to dance cheek to cheek in front of sixty students who will just relish telling their younger counterparts in the morning?! _It did make sense that he wouldn't dance with her, he had definitely lost that side to his character over the years; he was incredibly guarded. Florence supposed that last time they had tried for a public relationship  

It hadn't exactly gone very well; perhaps he was merely wary of people making his life difficult. But then he'd left her as soon the opportunity for an easier life had come along. 

What had happened? Had the whole thing been a game? Was this a game? 

Florence fought to keep herself in her seat. Was she willing to settle for living life one day at a time? Just waiting for the morning that she woke up alone. 

"Florence." 

She jumped almost sending her empty glass flying but luckily managed to rescue it in time. "Sorry, you made me jump." Florence turned to Severus; he had that twisted grin of amusement that usually earned him a playful cuff round the head.  

"Clearly." He mocked. "What had you so absorbed?"

"Oh, nothing, just watching everyone else dance." She dropped a hint the size of an anvil. 

"Would you like another drink?" He got up. 

Florence had thought for half a second he was going to ask her, she felt her spirits take another plummet. "Yes…same again." She blinked at his back as he stalked away, trying to figure out which one of them was hopeless. Perhaps she should just leave before he got back.

Severus made his way easily through the throng of students, they had all gotten used to keeping well out of his way over the course of the last seven years. He got two more drinks and walked back to the table. Albus waltzed past him with Professor Sinistra and gave him an encouraging smile. Severus glowered; he didn't need anybodies encouragement. He felt that he could dance with her once this evening and he was going to have the last dance, why settle for less? 

Upon his return to his seat he found Florence in conversation with Suzan Sprout about her plans for the summer. He appeared to be mysteriously left out of all of them. 

Florence sensed him sit down next to her and she decided to add an impromptu event to her summer… _What would Severus really hate?_ "And then after I get back from the world cup I'm going to visit Sirius for a few days, I really enjoyed seeing him over Christmas, we were such close friends; It would be a shame to loose that." 

Susan smiled and offered details on her own summer, it seemed that she would be staying at Hogwarts for a couple of weeks as she still had things to do in the greenhouses and would then be visiting her new nephew. 

Florence took her drink and sipped at it, still listening to Suzan, without looking at Severus. When the last dance of the evening came Florence lost hope completely, a slow dance; the entire floor packed with 'obnoxious children', there was no way Severus would embarrass himself with that. She let her shoulders sag, for the first time that evening letting show what she was feeling. Florence felt his fingers curl round hers and turned to look daggers at him; how dare he upset her and then try to play comforter? He stood slowly, lifting her hand off the table, a pleading look on his face. Florence didn't calm her own expression, but stood as bid none the less, not one hundred percent sure she even wanted to dance anymore. 

Severus led her round the table and onto the floor, slipping her right hand into his left and sneaking his other round her waist to hold her. Florence found her hand creeping up to his shoulder; her fingers winding loosely round the edge of his cape. Her heart took a tug and she wished he didn't affect her so much. She focused on the top button of his tunic, suddenly unable to meet his eyes. 

Florence let them back into her rooms with the distinct impression that perhaps the last Leavers' Ball she attended had been better than this one. 

Severus felt a brief pang of disappointment when she reached up to unfasten her own hair. He quietly shut the door behind them. 

"Mind if I go first?" She asked, brushing past him and going in the bathroom.

"Of course not." 

With five words she had told Severus exactly what he needed to know for now: This was definitely not one of those occasions when they undressed each other for bed and he was not to follow her into the bathroom. He sat heavily on the end of the bed, rubbing his hands over his face and sighing deeply. He had made quite a spectacular cock up of this evening. One chance to make amends to some degree and he had done quite the opposite. 

Florence struggled to get the zip at the back of her dress started. She hoped Severus couldn't hear her muttered expletives from the bedroom. Managing to twist her arms round, she achieved a quite impressive feet of liberation. She took off the charms she had used to keep herself in the dress and slid the fragile straps off her shoulders. She was tired and just wanted to go to bed. Everything would seem fine in the morning and she was eager to get there. Finishing undressing she climbed under the shower, perhaps she could wash away the feeling that this evening had left. 

The bathroom door rattled and Severus straightened, looking up. Florence appeared already in her bed robe, her hair loose and yawning. 

"All yours." She said amiably and he took his cue to disappear into the bathroom. 

When he came out Florence was already curled up in bed, her back to him and long hair spread out over the pillows. She looked for all the world as though she was sleeping, but she wasn't; he had spent enough nights by her side to know. He got in next her, at something of a loss as to what to do. Did she want to be cuddled or left alone? Her body language told him to leave her alone, but that wasn't always the best guide. He chose to take what he saw on face value, he would assume she was asleep. 

Severus woke up and was glad to find Florence snuggled up to him, her head on his shoulder; she must have sidled over in the night. He kissed the top of her head but she didn't stir. He checked the clock; he still had a while before breakfast. There were no classes today, just keeping all the little cretins under control when they were supposed to be packing their things to go home tomorrow. He suppressed a shudder. 

Severus was looking forward to seeing where she lived, if not it's location. A muggle village. He was less worried about the occupants as he was of making a fool of himself. What he knew of Muggles came only from Muggle-bating as a Death Eater, not something he ever wanted to have to draw on. 

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"Is that all you're taking?" A sarcastic voice made Florence spin quickly around. Severus rose one sardonic eyebrow as he took in the large pile of luggage that was piled on the floor of her room.

"Well, we are going for practically a month, Severus." Florence protested. Her eyes landed on the small bag he clasped in his left hand. "Are you sure that's all you'll be needing?"

"I have another one outside." He glanced impatiently at his pocket-watch. "Isn't it about time we were leaving?"

Florence had expected to have a little more time as Severus had said he would be seeing Dumbledore before they left. She sighed as she took one last look around her room, before following him out of the door. They stopped so he could pick the small bag that lay by the door of her room and quickly walked towards the Entrance Hall.

The corridors seemed empty without the usual burble of children leaking out of every entrance, rushing to-and-fro from class to class. She guessed Severus must be feeling at a loss with no one to deduct house points from, but, even if he was, he wasn't showing it: his face was as impassive as ever.

Even the people in the paintings seemed to have left the school to go on holiday; most were standing empty, but in some, you could faintly see a figure striding into the distance. Florence briefly wondered where they went, but decided it was their own business.

Severus' lips tightened. Florence was being very quiet, almost silent. Surely she wasn't regretting offering to take him to her home for the holidays. He couldn't bear it if she was sorry she'd asked him, and was just being kind. Turning to her, he opened his mouth to tell her that he wasn't going and she needn't bother giving him her pity, but the smile she directed his way made him close his mouth with a snap.

Florence grinned. He was looking rather uneasy; he was probably nervous about living with her for a month! Oh well, they had been practically living as one for a while now, so there was nothing that she was ashamed of him knowing.

Her face tightened slightly as she tried to think whether she had left anything embarrassing lying around in her haste to leave so many months ago... but thankfully she drew a blank.

As if she had walked the whole way with her eyes shut, she was amazed to find that they were already at the Entrance Hall. 

Severus, in an act of polite gentility, which seemed to come naturally to him (but was in odds with his outward character), held the large door open for her so she and her luggage could float through easily. They stood outside the large castle's gates in silence for a moment before Severus inclined his head in a signal for them to Apparate.

Soon after, Florence was stood outside her own modest house and felt slightly uncomfortable and embarrassed as Severus ran critical eyes over it, but, without a word, he picked up her luggage (manually, because they were now in muggle territory) and headed down the path to the door.

Florence picked up what was remaining and followed him, dropping it all on the floor so she could fiddle in her ragbag to get the keys. It was the little flicker at the corner of his mouth that alerted her to the fact that she had dropped a particularly heavy bag of books directly onto his feet.

Florence started to try and lift the bag off but he stopped her. "Just get the keys, Florence. I do not care to stand outside your house, while the neighbours across the road are twitching their curtains at me." He hissed and Florence shrugged before retrieving the keys with a triumphant grin. The grin didn't last as Severus' mouth twisted in amusement at the large, fluffy, mouse key ring that was waggling in mid-air.

"Don't you dare say a word." Florence muttered and Severus' smirk widened.

"I wasn't going to." He declared before following her into the house.

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Author's Notes:

Hi. 

**Starlight and Tegan**: Thank you for your lovely reviews. 

We hope everyone is well, 

Martha and Squirrel.xxx


	22. The Holidays

Chapter 23: The Holidays

Disclaimer: We don't own the characters, places or anything recognisable from the Harry Potter Books 'cause they belong to J. K. Rowling. We write only for our own pleasure and make nothing from it. 

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Severus was not sure of his initial impression of where she chose to live. She lived in a row of houses that looked disconcertingly similar giving the place an odd lack of character. While the homes were close together their appearance from apparent thin air was obscured by well-established and conveniently placed shrubbery. 

As Florence stepped through her own front door and threw her rag-bag down on the floor in the hall, Severus was greeted with a scene that instantly provoked a thousand questions. She turned right through a door and he heard her sigh as she sat down somewhere. He concentrated on bringing in their luggage while attempting to make sense of some of the things he was seeing. 

When he joined her in the kitchen he watched as she put the kettle on; it obviously worked using electricity. 

"Can you explain it?" He asked. "I found that Professor Rooney never gave an understandable explanation of electricity." Professor Wildon Rooney had been the Muggle Studies professor when they had been at Hogwarts – an old doddery man that collected jigsaw puzzles. 

Florence had studied the subject for a couple of years because she liked to see what the wizarding world really knew. "_You_ took Muggle Studies?" She asked, astounded that a Slytherin would be interested.

"Only for a term; it was difficult to explain why I'd chosen it." He didn't look as though he wanted to talk about it further and Florence couldn't blame him. 

She took a deep breath, not sure where to start. "Uhm, well, it's difficult to explain. You sort of need a grounding in Physics."

"Try." He prompted.

"Ok…" She said ponderously. "Electricity is just a form of energy. It's generated in power stations and… it's sent out to homes using wires." She hoped this was enough, not being in the mood to try and go deeper. It had been years since she had learnt about it and now was more than happy to just use it.

"Like magic needs energy?"

"Yes, I suppose so. You could even argue that magic is a form of energy and wizards are just the only ones capable of harnessing it." Florence said thoughtfully and, feeling her mind switch back into science mode, was mildly disconcerted by the fact that she was now trying to use it to explain magic.

"So, it's like muggle's magic?" He looked doubtfully at the kettle. 

"Uhm… You could say that. It doesn't do as much though, and often needs big bits of equipment to go with it." 

"So, what is it? Where does it come from?" 

"I don't know if I can explain it to you." Florence said helplessly as she opened a cupboard, trying to remember what she'd done with the teapot as the kettle started to boil.

"Why not?" 

"For a start, it's been years since I learnt about it and I would have to explain a lot more that just electricity. Most muggles don't understand it – it took me years before it clicked into place."

"How did you learn…? You were educated at Hogwarts." Severus was staring at the now enthusiastically boiling kettle. 

Florence conjured up some tea and then filled the pot with the water. "My father was a Physics lecturer." 

She turned away from him and opened a large white box on the other side of the room; retrieving from it an odd shaped bottle that Severus guessed contained milk.

Florence had stocked up on the essentials when she had popped home for her dress three days ago. She liked maintaining a muggle home; it made it easier to spend time with your neighbours as you could invite them in for a cup of tea and they wouldn't wonder if they had stepped into the Stone Age. It also felt good to be reminded of the world she had come from – just because she was part of the wizard world, it made her no less part of this one.

The subject of her family rarely came up and when it did Florence had a remarkable ability to just sweep it aside and move the conversation on. So every piece of information left Severus feeling as though he had had a door opened to her. 

"He thought it was important that I didn't let my education suffer just because of the magic." She smiled at the memory of him looking so wordily at her. Colin Findal couldn't believe that there was another world of people that didn't teach their children 'proper' things. 

"He taught you at home?"

"Yes, in the holidays, I loved it to tell the truth, I'd always been something of a Mummy's girl but those summers while I was at Hogwarts I got really close to my dad… and of course, being in Ravenclaw I was bound to be searching for things to learn." 

She looked distant and sort of happy as she poured tea through a strainer. Severus felt those pangs of guilt; he'd do anything to give them back to her.

"He couldn't believe that he could get away with pulling me out of the education system either."

"Out…? You were already at a muggle school?" 

"Muggles go to school from when they're about five."

"_Five?_" Severus looked dumbfounded. "What could you possibly teach a five-year-old? It's difficult enough getting through the thick skulls of fifteen-year-olds."

"How to read and write…" Florence suggested. 

"I was taught that at home. But I wouldn't have been capable at five." Severus said trying to strain his mind back that far. He wasn't sure he even had any memories until his sixth birthday. "I suppose we don't send children to school until they're eleven as some can't use magic until then." 

"I thought you said that your parents were never around; who taught you?"

"I had a nanny." Severus stated, as though it was the most normal thing in the world and the last thing he wanted to talk about. "I've told you that before." 

"Yes, sorry." Florence remembered then why he wouldn't want to talk about it. "Here." She gave him his tea and walked through to the sitting room.

Severus found himself in a light room with double doors at one end, made of all little panes of glass that went into a garden at the back of the house; at the other end of a room was a bay window. 

"Oh, shit!" Florence exclaimed as she put her cup down on the coffee table.

"What is it?" He asked.

"I forgot to renew my TV Licence."

Severus was confused, but decided not to ask. Florence wandered out and came back in with a blue book. 

"I'll have to go to the Post Office." She said thoughtfully, flicking through the book.

"I'm afraid I don't understand a word you're saying." Severus admitted. 

"Oh, Muggles broadcast news and entertainment on the television. I'm sure you've heard about it."

"I have."

"You need a licence to watch it; it pays for some of the channels and I'm hoping I can call someone to find out bus times so we can go to town. I just have to find the number." She indicated the book.

"With the telephone?"

"Yes." She murmured distractedly, running her finger down a row of numbers. 

"Why use the bus?" He hoped this sounded like a practical suggestion rather than that of someone who was finding all this a bit much.

"There aren't a lot of spots in a muggle town that you can guarantee will be secluded. It's safer all round to use the bus."

Severus supposed that he wouldn't know; the only time he had ever been in a muggle town centre was in the middle of the night.

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Florence had swapped the heavy quilt on her bed for just a sheet and blanket as they were being treated to a few very rare, for England, hot days and hence the nights were uncomfortable. She snapped the electric light off and drew the curtains, blocking out the glare from a neighbour's outside light that the occupants' dog kept setting off as it ambled round the garden.

Lifting the sheets she crawled into bed beside Severus. He immediately turned to her, from his position like a corpse, for contact. She let him snuggle her up, deciding that if the bed got too hot she could always sneak away once he was asleep. As they led there, she got the impression that he was tense. "What's wrong?" 

"Nothing." He shifted as though to make himself more comfortable. 

Florence sighed. "Tell me what's wrong."

"What charms are on the house?"

"There's a threshold alarm, but that's it." She answered, knowing that he would lead her to the rout of his discomfort eventually. 

"That's it?" He pulled away from her far enough to give her a serious look. 

"Yes, that's all."

He made a thoughtful face this time. "So, the house is merely held up by…"

"Science, Severus, or to be more exact: physics, bricks and mortar. You know what I mean?"

"You haven't added any magic?"

"Why would I?" Florence couldn't believe what she was hearing for a moment. "Muggles are just fine without. What makes you think that I would be the unlucky one who bought the only house to fall down?" She raised her eyebrows and gave him an expectant, and what she hoped was quite dangerous, look. 

There was a lengthy pause in which Florence wondered if they were indeed waiting for the house to fall down.

"It's not that." Severus started as though he was carefully picking over the rubble looking for survivors. "We aren't muggles. There are things that threaten us that they wouldn't consider when building a home." He didn't want to say outright that he remembered how fragile they were to the simplest of magics. How easily they burned, how with a little effort they could be erased from existence entirely or, quite simply, how easy they were to get into. He gave her a look that he hoped would tell her not to press any further. 

Getting the idea that Severus wasn't so much criticizing muggle craftsmanship as he was paranoid, Florence decided on the best way of settling things for the moment. "You can put charms on it, if it frightens you that much." 

"I am not _frightened!_" He stressed, slowly and clearly, obviously determined to make his point. 

Florence applied gentle pressure to his shoulder until he was lying next to her on his back. Pulling the covers high over them she softly kissed his mouth muttering, "I know", and started on the top buttons of his high-necked nightshirt. She wondered idly how he didn't melt in such a garment. 

Her fingers getting lower she decided to follow them, putting warm kisses under his chin and down over his Adam's apple. To her delight Severus swallowed. She squirmed a little, moving her body lower down the bed and opened his shirt out to kiss lightly round his nipples as her fingers descended. 

"What are you doing?" Severus said a little more throatily than intended. 

Florence resisted the urge to say _baking a cake!_ And instead went for "distracting you" as her mouth worked down to his navel.

Florence woke up in the darkness and was surprised to be released of Severus' embrace. Once he had hold, it usually would have taken a natural disaster to get him to let go of his own accord, especially following sex. So different from the boy who had looked as though she had requested they wear straw hats the night they had slept together at Hogwarts. She had felt in such need of contact after their coupling that his willingness to just move away from her had almost hurt. Once he'd got used to the idea it had been better though; she'd been led there with him a while when he started winding their legs together. She stretched out to his side of the bed now and, finding him gone, sat bolt upright. She could just make out his silhouette in front of the window. 

"Sorry, did I wake you?" He said quietly.

"I don't think so." Florence yawed and edged out of bed, taking a stance next to him at the window. "What's the matter? I said you could put charms on the house if it bothers you." She put her arm around him.

"It's not that." He assured.

"What is it then?" 

"The noise."

"The noise?" Florence was perplexed. "I don't hear anything."

"Like a constant drone, it never stops."

"Oh, you mean the dryer?"

"The what?" Severus frowned and Florence could just make out the change in his expression as the lines on his face darkened.

"The dryer, at the farm. They were cutting in the fields today, they'll be drying the corn and storing it in the silos all night." She explained. 

"And it doesn't bother you?" 

"I've lived in the country since I was a child. That's just what summer sounds like to me." 

There was so much about her he didn't know, or really understand. This world she had grown up in seemed so strange, almost artificial in a way he couldn't have explained. He sighed and slipping his arm around her too, led her back to bed. 

"I'll block it out." She said, reaching for her wand. 

"It doesn't matter." He said, not wanting to take away her sound of summer.

"Yes it does, I don't even notice it's there, why should you suffer?" 

Severus conceded, letting her block outside noise from the room. 

"Just be glad that I don't live in town. The traffic noise would drive you crazy."

"Cars?" 

"Yes, now _that_ I have trouble with. Growing up in the country I never realised how irritating the noise of the town can be, but when I stayed with friends it drove me nuts."

She was trying to make him feel better, and in a way it was working. 

~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~

Florence came in from doing some gardening to find Severus stood on the hearthrug with his hands on his hips talking to the head of Albus Dumbledore that occupied her fireplace. Their discussion appeared to be rather heated and serious. She therefore decided to take a bath and leave it until later to break it to Severus that she planned to go to the pub and catch up with everyone. 

Florence opened her wardrobe; it was full of all the things that she kept for the Muggle world, she hoped that all the good food and big meals at Hogwarts hadn't changed her shape too significantly; after all, her relatively loose teaching robes wouldn't have alerted her to an expanding waist line. Muggle clothes tended to be a little snug.

Severus was downstairs cleaning up following his little foray into potions making in a Muggle kitchen. He had decided to make a sunblock for her as he was very dubious about the stuff that she was using – he had said that 'Triethanoiamine' and Panthenol' just didn't sound good for you. She discovered that one of the cases he had brought was actually a hugely enlarged potions ingredient store. Florence knew that he was secretly finding all the Muggle equipment thoroughly fascinating. They had spent four hours after their arrival going through all the things he was finding confusing. She knew that it had eventually fascinated him; he had tried endlessly to contain his interest in the differences between their worlds and the ways that muggles had adapted to find ways of not using magic. She wouldn't have anticipated his reaction in a million years. Of course, it had descended into a disagreement over whether or not she should put rubbish out for collection…

Florence found that she had been staring into her wardrobe, wrapped in just a towel, for the last 20 minutes. She had half-forgotten how difficult life was when you had to choose what to wear. At Hogwarts, she wore basically the same things everyday and so didn't have this problem. She sighed, trying to refocus, and selected a pair of figure hugging black trousers that she knew would go with just about everything and threw them on the bed, returning to the row of garments in front of her. It wasn't a really sweltering day but it had been pleasantly warm. She chose a sleeveless t-shirt and then had to set about finding underwear.

After choosing her outfit she padded down the stairs having decided to break the news to Severus. "Severus…?"

"Here." He was sat behind the kitchen door at the table reading the newspaper that she had arranged to have delivered. 

She smiled at him. "I'm thinking of going to the pub, to catch up with every one…will you be coming with me?" 

"Why wouldn't I?" He said, sounding accusing. 

"I just thought you might find a lot of strangers uncomfortable." She tried to peer at what he had chosen to read.

"I'm sure I'll manage." He stood up, drawing to his full height so that he could look down at her, refusing to be left out of what she wanted to do, even if it did sound horrific.

"I'm just going to get dressed." She turned to wander back upstairs. He caught hold of her rather precariously secured towel, giving her no option but to step back into him. 

"Don't," He said gruffly, leaning down to kiss her naked shoulder, "I rather like this fascinating towel-dress." 

"Severus." She said in a warning tone, "I would like to go out before the pub closes." She scolded.

"Oh, don't worry…what I have in mind won't take a minute." He purred in her ear.

Florence mock-gasped, trying to stop herself from succumbing to his suggestions. "It's all self with some people." She said putting on a voice of feigned displeasure. 

"You're the one that's in a hurry." He played with the corner of the towel that was tucked in, holding it up, teasing her with the likelihood that he would let it fall, his kisses raising higher up her neck.

"No, you're just procrastinating." Florence pulled out of his arms before he reached her ear, gathering the towel round her. She gave him an appraising and cheeky look then scampered back upstairs.

Squeezing into the trousers, that she was pleased she could say still fitted suitably, Florence felt a familiar feeling of normality. Trousers on women in the wizarding world were as rare as skirts on men in the muggle one. It was times like this when she wondered which world it was that she felt she belonged in and which was alien. The first few hours in either felt a little peculiar.

Severus composed himself and after a few minutes traced her steps up the staircase wanting to know whether he would pass in the muggle world. He stepped into the bedroom and, being used to seeing her in folds of fabric, found that sight of her in tight black trousers for the first time was quite an experience. She was stood with her back to him, folding the clothes that she had worn in the garden. Her every curve was audaciously on display. He became aware that his mouth was open and quite dry; he promptly closed it, not wanting her to catch him gaping. 

It was something he had never even considered, the fact that she still looked wonderfully feminine taking him by surprise. 

"You're going out in that?" He asked, unable to help himself. 

She spun around. "What's wrong with it?" It wasn't as if she'd chosen Bermuda shorts!

Severus unconsciously licked dry lips as he considered what to say next. It wasn't that he disliked it, quite the contrary in fact; it was what that meant. 

Florence had rarely seen him looking so uncomfortable. 

Severus cleared his throat. "Am I suitable?" He asked, changing the subject.

"If you want everyone to think you're part of a travelling circus." Florence said, ad-libbing.

"That's why I asked." 

Knowing that she shouldn't push him, he was already in unfamiliar surroundings and hadn't slept much the night before, Florence settled for advising him rather than teasing. She didn't change his outfit too much, just cut down on the layers and made his shirt less decorative and frilly.

"Speaking of travelling circuses, what do you tell them you do for a living?" Severus asked as he thoughtfully inspected the little plastic buttons on his newly-altered shirt. 

"Oh, I have a good one actually." She beamed. "I tell them I work for the MOD, that way they don't ask any questions and I have an excuse to disappear for months on end." 

"The MOD?" He frowned. 

"Oh, The Ministry of Defence. It's a muggle organisation." 

"What is this stuff?" He asked, indicating his shirt buttons.

"Plastic." Florence smiled incredulously, how could wizards live in such utter isolation from the muggle world? Well, some of them anyway. "It's made from oil." She explained. 

Severus looked bewildered, it seemed muggles made everything out of this stuff and it was horrible.

~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~

Florence pushed open the door into the cosy little pub. Looking at Severus, she saw him screw his nose up at the smell of cigarette smoke. She didn't think that a pub was a pub without it, but that was probably just her muggle heritage. She made her way to the bar and smiled at the landlady. 

"Hi, Florence! Alfie said he'd seen you come home. A long job this time?"

"Yeah, something like that." 

"So, what are you drinking tonight? And who's this?" She turned to beam at Severus but it faded when she saw the look on his face. 

Florence cleared her throat. "This is Severus, we work together, and Severus, this is Pat, our landlady." 

"Nice to meet you." Pat said awkwardly.

"I'll have a pint of Summersault." Pat bustled off to get Florence her drink.

"What should I drink?" Severus asked discreetly.

"Don't worry, I got it." Florence informed him, knowing his tastes fairly well she was confident of what to order for him. 

"And a Pint of 6X." 

The landlady brought the drinks and charged Florence, giving Severus a suspicious look. 

"Florence!" someone called. Severus turned to see four people sat in a window seat. "Over here." They beckoned. Severus felt a sense of foreboding; this is what Florence would have come here for – to socialise – but he had been hoping to get out of here without making a fool of himself. 

Florence made her way over to them and said "Hi", pulling up a chair and sitting down.

"This is…Severus," Florence said hesitantly, suddenly feeling a little unsure as to whether this was such a good idea. 

"Severus…?" Said one of her friends. "That's unusual." 

Severus scowled. "I am unusual." He stated and took the seat next to Florence.

"Severus, this is Ian and his wife Sue, Ed and Graham." Florence informed him. The one called Ed had picked up on Severus' unusualness. "You remember Graham?"

Severus inclined his head in acknowledgement. Graham was their next-door neighbour; he had spent two hours that day lent over the fence talking to Florence. Severus resisted the urge to scowl quite well.

"Ian is a doctor and Ed owns the farm." Florence embellished. 

Ian looked tired but tidy; Sue was neat and her hair was a dyed red and fell in tight permed curls. Ed had untidy dark hair and his hands were cracked and split from manual work. 

"So, Severus, how long are you staying?" Sue pried nosily, sitting up in her seat to scrutinise him.

Severus consulted his pocket watch, deliberately misunderstanding her. "No longer than two and a half hours. I have no desire to sit outside on the steps after the establishment closes."

Florence gave him a look. "We are going on holiday to Australia for a few weeks soon." 

"Ooh, that sounds nice." Sue trilled, sipping at her gin and tonic. "Ian and I went to New Zealand once… Remember our trip?" She turned to her husband. "It was so romantic." She beamed.

Ian grunted and stood up, going to the bar for another Guinness. 

"You know, I was back-packing across the outback a few years ago, when I came across this clearing…" Graham began.

Florence groaned. "How many times have I heard this story?" She grimaced.

"Can you blame a guy for trying?"

Severus looked almost as bemused as Ed "I must have missed something there; I haven't heard this story." Ed complained as he looked for another crisp in the bottom of his packet. 

Graham cleared his throat. "Yeah, well, no offence mate, but I'm not telling you."

The banter was broken by raised voices on the other side of the room. 

"I'm just saying, I think it's horrible! We've been on at the parish council to sort it out for years!" said the voice of an elderly lady.

"And I've told you: where there be cows, there'll be shit." Her companion retorted.

There was a heavy sigh, "But I just…"

"Hold your tongue woman!" the gentleman with her roared.

Severus looked aghast. "Don't worry, that's just Doris and Cranog." Florence reassured, touching his leg beneath the table. "They do this every night; sometimes more than once."

"You would think she'd find something else to gripe about." Ian came back to the table. 

Severus took the opportunity to discreetly look at his watch again, closing his hand over Florence's in a way that no one could see. He was increasingly aware that he had said very little.

The evening continued in much the same manner: everyone chatted and Severus was asked the odd awkward question to which he tried to be polite. He was left with the impression that perhaps her friends did think she had brought a circus freak home for the summer. They were clearly very fond of her and despite her long absence accepted her back into their little village fold. It would be a long time before he was anything approaching comfortable here, there was simply too much to get used to. 

~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~

Their journey to Australia was done in a couple of jumps as apparating that far was dangerous. First they apparated to Alaska, only staying a couple of minutes at a designated apparation point, Florence's only lasting impression of the visit was that it was cold. She wasn't too disappointed though, having visited once before when she was lecturing in Canada. She was a little more disillusioned with their stop at Honshu as she had never visited Japan before and would have liked to look round. The apparation points were secluded places that repelled Muggles, but were full of Wizards all being transferred to different places on their way to the World Cup. Next up was their final destination.

Fiery heat struck them first. It was not initially pleasant, as they needed time to get used to it. On the horizon, a large encampment was made visible by the large amount of people bustling around it, their strange dress and behaviour giving them away as being wizarding folk.

Snape looked over at Florence who was struggling a bit because of the heat. Despite having coated herself tenfold in Severus' sun block as well as performing several magical charms to cool herself down, she was still not prepared for the intense climate. In a rare act of public intimacy, Severus caught her hand in his own and started to stride closer to the campsite.

"Are you alright?" He asked her as they walked at a fast pace across the arid landscape.

"Mmhhmm" She mumbled dazedly and took a large swig of the water he offered her.

Two of the magic folk apparated in front of them dressed unconvincingly as muggles. One was wearing what looked like a rubber glove on his head. Florence tried hard not to laugh.

"Hello, there! All ready for the World Cup? We are, aren't we Effie?" He said in a broad Newcastle accent, hugging his wife to his side exuberantly.

Snape ignored him while Florence nodded politely in reply, her eyes staring fixedly on the marigold glove that was stretched over his skull.

"Nice... hat, you've got there." She couldn't resist it and Snape glared at her.

"Ooh! Thank you!" Effie smiled at her in obvious delight. "It took me a long time to research these outfits." She said, brushing down the large pink lace petticoat that she had wrapped around her middle. "Lon's never been very good at Muggle studies." She gestured to her husband and he grinned at her.

Florence heard Snape mutter something under his breath and she had to stifle another snort of laughter. 

"Your clothing is... good too." Effie said cordially, looking at Florence's skirt and T-shirt.

"Thank you." She couldn't hold the laughter in anymore and giggled mercilessly.

The couple looked over at Snape, who shrugged sardonically - "First time to Australia". Looking decidedly confused, the couple speeded up their stride.

Florence was leaning over, and sniggering uncontrollably. She looked up and saw the amusement in Snape's eyes and stopped briefly. It was nice to see him smile again – she knew he had found muggle living very difficult and he'd probably been dying to get back amongst his own kind, despite not being a social animal. Florence looked over his shoulder just in time to see someone step on the backs of Effie's large orange slippers and she began to laugh again.

"Come on, Flo. We'll never get there at this rate." Severus grumbled, grabbing her hand again, and she let him lead her over the sand.

As they came to the first tent, a small man popped his head out to see who was coming. "Your name please?"

"Severus Snape." Severus gave the little man a look, which almost made him drop his clipboard in fright. 

"Uh..." He nervously twisted one of the large purple pom-poms that had been carefully sewn onto his trousers. "Right then, Mr and Mrs Snape." He ran his finger down the list and Florence turned to Snape with a raised eyebrow. He just shrugged and turned back to the little man, but not before she saw the wicked glint in his eye. "You are in the valley in front of Sand Dune No. 2." The midget pointed his finger towards a small trail that obviously led to the sand dune and folded himself back into the tent.

Florence looked around at all the other tents as they past. This was her first Quidditch World Cup and her first trip to Australia so she could hardly contain her double-excitement. She did a contained skip past the dwellings of the other wizards and absorbed the interesting sounds of the different languages. Occasionally, she heard words spoken in English such as "put that down!" or "...and how in Merlin's name is this supposed to work?" from the confused wizards trying to utilise muggle appliances to the best of their abilities. 

Florence couldn't suppress a grin when they came upon their own plot. A little sign had been tapped into the ground that read "Snap", which caused Severus to scowl darkly.

"So, where's our tent then?" Florence enquired, ready to have a nap after the tiring journey.

Snape, first checking to see if anyone was watching, pointed his wand at the empty spot and mumbled "Arsisio Tentorium". A small tent appeared out of nowhere and Florence just stared at it for a while before saying in bafflement, "How are we both going to fit in there?" 

Snape looked at her in amazement before his face creased into a smirk. "Go inside and have a look."

Florence kneeled down and crawled through the small opening. "If you've seen one tent, you've seen them..." Florence stood up, her mouth agape at the large entrance hall that was positioned in front of her. She touched the banister of the stairs, just to check that it was real and turned to Snape where he was stood behind her, the smirk still on his face. She thumped him and the smirk increased.

Turning back around, she continued to explore what looked to be a small country mansion... complete with dungeon!

"What do you need a dungeon for?" Florence asked Snape incredulously. "You're not planning on working, are you?"

"I've a lot of work to catch up on," was all he said and the look on his face forbade her to push it any further. Shrugging, she walked into the bedroom. The only bedroom. There was a rather spectacular four-poster bed. She looked up at Snape enquiringly and he grinned. 

"Florence? Are you in there?" At the voice, Florence rushed to the entrance of the "tent".

"Sirius! I didn't know you were here!"

"I came with Harry and the Weasleys." Sirius grinned at the memory of Arthur Weasley's face as he'd welcomed the cleared-convict into his home. He opened his arms for a hug and she ran into them, happily greeting her old friend again.

Sirius saw Snape over her shoulder and they both nodded stiffly in acknowledgement.

"How did you know we were here?" Florence asked, too excited to recognise the tension in the air. 

"I saw you as you came in. This must be your first World Cup, yes?"

Florence grinned and nodded.

 "My last cup must have been a long time ago, with James..." Sirius stopped and the shadows behind his eyes became more pronounced and Florence, knowing what he was thinking, rested her hand upon his arm in a gesture of comfort. He looked at her, eyes unseeing. "I'd better be getting back to Harry. I'll probably see you later." He left abruptly; his past was obviously still plaguing him. Florence watched him go, concern visible in her green eyes.

Having noticed that his long hair made Muggles dubious about him, Severus had swept his hair back. Florence took in his rather stiff and uncomfortable stance. Disruptions to normality didn't go down well with Severus, even small ones (and a visit from Sirius wouldn't have helped his mood much either now that she thought about it), he liked things how he liked them, and in a way that suited her just fine too. She offered him a smile and, closing the door behind Sirius, she walked over to him. "It's really lovely." Florence reached up to loosen the knot that held his hair up, letting it fall back around his face and, as he put his arms round her, she dropped the cord on the floor. "That's better." She whispered. 

He sighed silently, lent forward, and kissed her.

~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~

"If you don't get up now, you'll miss the portkey." Severus whipped the covers off the bed leaving her exposed. He smirked when Florence reflexively scrunched up. 

"Severus!" She yelped. 

Severus let his eyes briefly rake over her and then stalked from the room, calling behind him "What would you like for breakfast?" 

"Just some toast or something." Florence called as she walked into their huge en-suite bathroom, the thick carpet on the floor welcoming her toes. Severus was either really good at bewitching tents or he knew the right people. 

Severus sat at the breakfast table reading the Daily Prophet; almost the entire issue was given over to speculation regarding the first matches of the World Cup. He scowled and bit viciously into his toast and marmalade. The entire wizarding world seemed oblivious to the sort of danger that might await them. 

Seeing Severus looking habitually sour, Florence smiled and took the seat opposite him at the table. He glanced up briefly and passed her the butter. Unseen to Severus, she arched an eyebrow and reached for the toast rack.

Inexplicably feeling the need to attention-seek, Florence ran her foot slowly up between his legs as she scratched butter onto her first slice of toast. She sensed him look up and felt a leap of triumph but tried, rather successfully in fact, to keep her face impassive. As she inched higher, she felt the urge to grin increase more and more until Severus make her jump by grabbing her foot under the table and cleared his throat loudly. 

"You have a portkey to catch." He stated. 

"I know."

"Then don't start things that you have no time to finish." He flicked a page of the newspaper and started reading again. Any feelings of triumph melted as fast as the butter on her hot toast. 

Florence tucked her feet under her chair and watched him read, knowing it would drive him nuts but that he would have no grounds to complain. She licked her lips, knowing that she had his attention really when his nostrils flared. 

Tense breakfasting followed; Florence emerged feeling decidedly like the victor and smiled all the way to her Portkey point and all the time that she waited there patiently. 

Taking a port key from just outside the campsite, Florence was reminded of the lovely birthday surprise that she had got from Severus and all the fuss she had to go through to earn it! Sometimes he was so sweet! He would probably kill her if he heard her describe him that way but he had his moments.

She stepped up to the street that Heather lived on and, checking the house number on the last letter Heather had sent her, she walked up to the front door and rang the doorbell.

She could hear the bell pealing inside the house, and then movement from within, followed by muttering. A little nervous about seeing her old friend after all this time, despite the fact that they had kept in touch through letters, she fiddled with her rag-bag that she had brought with her.

The door opened suddenly and a small woman with short blonde hair stood there, her blue eyes blazing with annoyance.

"No, I don't have any more...!" She was saying angrily, but stopped when she saw Florence. The angry face went through the emotions of shock then happiness then split into a grin.

Feeling it was time she spoke, Florence greeted her with a smile. "Hello, Heather. How are you doing?"

"Florence! Wow! This is such an unexpected surprise! Come in." Heather backed away a little, allowing her space to get into the house. She was glad her surprise arrival had been greeted happily. Walking down the small hall, she was stopped by a hand on her arm.

"This way. The kitchen is in such a state!" Heather pointed her towards a slightly open door which led into what Florence presumed was the lounge. It was a light and airy room and so typically Heather that she smiled.

Heather was pulling clothes off of a seat for her. "Sit down, if you can find space."

She carefully sat down, just in case there was anything else on the sofa, but thankfully, it was empty. "Thanks."

"So, what are you doing in Australia?" Heather asked, offering her a cup of tea and Florence gave her a confused look. Didn't she know there was a World Cup on? 

Heather must have noticed her confusion, because she asked what was wrong.

"Heather, you _do _remember the Quidditch World Cup is on next week?" Florence clarified her concern.

"Oh, buggeration." Her friend cursed and she had to fight not to laugh. "Damnation." Heather continued, her nose wrinkled.

"So you forgot, then. Are you going?" Florence hoped she was so they could see each other a lot more often. But then she remembered the only times Heather had watched Quidditch were the games Sirius, Remus and James used to play, and she knew exactly why Heather went to see those!

"Yeah, I got free tickets from the Ministry because I helped design some of the muggle-impervious charms." Heather made a face.

"Wow." Florence was impressed, along with the happiness that she would definitely see Heather again. "Are you going to apparate there everyday?" She asked, concerned that that method of travel might wear her friend out.

"No... I _think_ I booked a room somewhere for... sometime. I wrote it down somewhere." 

Florence laughed at Heather's obvious confusion as she rifled through the untidy pile of papers next to her chair. She was the same old Heather!

"Aha! Here it is, the Dewey Bed and Breakfast. It's not far from the stadium. It's owned by muggles though so I had to use the..." Heather flicked a careless hand towards the telephone. "...thingywotsit." Florence stifled a giggle and Heather frowned slightly. "You know what I mean!"

"Yes... So..." Florence tried to keep a straight face. "How are you?"

"Oh, fine. Perfectly fine."

"And Paul?" Florence inquired about Heather's fiancé. She had never met him but she knew Heather was fond of him.

"Gone. Forever. Good riddance, says I." Heather's lips began to droop and Florence went to her to give her a hug. Poor Heather! She had obviously loved the guy but she was just trying to be brave. "It's ok. Really, we weren't suited for each other. We were mostly just friends in the end." Heather continued and Florence left the subject alone, knowing her friend didn't want to talk about it.

"Oh, poor you. I'm really sorry."

"It's ok. Ahem. Changing the subject. So, where are you staying?" Heather smiled crookedly.

"On a campsite, just outside the stadium. Got one of those fancy tents, you know, the ones with the houses in." Florence sipped at her tea; she was still amazed that you cold get houses inside tents! What would a wizard do with a normal tent? Now that would be amusing to watch...

 "Those are normal tents!" Heather protested. "So, any blokes in your life?" She asked the question Florence knew was coming. She didn't want to tell Heather about Severus just yet, though, not until she could think of a way to say it that didn't make Heather angry. Sirius' reaction was bad but she was sure that Heather's would be ten times worse.

"I bumped into Sirius Black back at Hogwarts. I think I told you about it in an owl." She prevaricated and was surprised to see Heather's face pale a little. Surely Heather didn't still have feelings for him?

"Oh, yes. I think you did. Anyone else?"

Florence shook her head, still not wanting to tell her friend anything yet. Heather offered her another cup of tea and she accepted it gratefully.

"Thanks."

"So, when does the first Quidditch match start? I don't have a clue at all..."

Florence smiled. "You're hopeless! It starts next week – August 9th. Don't forget!"

"I'll try." Heather said with a grimace. "But I'm not guaranteeing anything!"

~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~

Heather queued up outside the Quidditch stadium, eager to get in and watch the match. She hopped from one foot to the other in excitement and tried to peer over the top of the crowd in front of her. The queue suddenly surged backwards and Heather groaned in pain as the discernibly taller man in front of her stepped on her tiny feet encased, unprotected, in strappy sandals. 

"Hey!" She yelled and tapped her hand on the back of his leather jacket. She had to admit the wizard in front was a hunk! He had a really tight ass... She shook her head, trying to get rid of the unwanted thoughts – _another boyfriend was the last thing she needed! - and tapped his shoulder again._

"Watch where you're going!" She shouted over the noise of the crowd, her feet still in considerable pain. The man turned his head slightly at this, his dark hair just brushing his collar, and she wondered briefly how he could stand to wear a leather jacket in the middle of an Australian desert. _He must be broiling! _

"Sorry, lady, but it's not my fault." He shrugged and his deep, accented voice melted over Heather like strawberry-whip ice cream – her favourite! She blinked and, trying a move that a contortionist would envy, lent down to rub her bruised toes. The crowd pushed forward and she wobbled, her arms flailing for something to grab onto to keep her upright. The only thing available was the back pocket of the cute wizard's jeans. Nearly pulling him over in the process, Heather grabbed hold of the denim and balanced precariously on one foot. 

"Hey!" The wizard yelled, "What do you think you're doing?!" He pried her hand off of his jeans.

Heather tottered briefly, her arms and legs flailing, before falling on the floor on her rear in an ungainly heap. The good-looking wizard just stared down at her and laughed, his hands resting comfortably on the waistband of his black jeans. She looked up from her position on the ground, her mouth open and ready to give the man a good tongue-lashing for his impertinence but stopped.

"Sirius?" Heather sat on the floor, and gazed up at him, her mouth agape in amazement. The wizard's smile faded a little as he squinted down at her through his dark sunglasses.

He scanned his eyes over the tiny woman, sprawled on the floor, with a great expanse of tanned leg made visible by the high skirt of her mini-dress and his eyes widened behind the shades.

"Heather?" He grinned, offering his hand to help her up. "What are you doing here?"

"Uh... isn't it rather obvious? I'm here for the World Cup!" She brushed her pale blue dress down over her curvy frame, rubbing her backside a little to stem the pain, and smirked up at him from her diminutive height. "Why? Am I in the wrong queue?"

Sirius just grinned down at her, ignoring her mocking question. His eyes wandered over her appreciatively. "Wow! You look great!"

Heather blushed a little, her tan thankfully hiding most of the unwanted colour. "Thanks, Sirius. You don't look too bad yourself." Her flush grew a little when she remembered exactly what she had been thinking about his ass earlier.

The crowd moved a bit further forward and Heather, lost in thought and not expecting the movement, was pushed forward. She tripped over one of Sirius' size 10 boots and went flying again, right into his chest. Luckily, this time Sirius was prepared and grabbed her, hugging her close so that she could regain her balance.

Heather, enjoying the feeling of being pressed up against the taut muscles of his chest, sniffed slightly and absorbed the intoxicatingly manly smell of him. Her hands wandered involuntarily around his body until she was hugging him back.

Sirius sighed contentedly and Heather, remembering herself, pushed away from his chest, trying to regain control of her emotions, but he didn't let her go. She looked up at him and almost gasped at the hunger that was visible in his shadowy blue eyes. It was quickly disguised.

Heather stared up at him, absorbing every inch of his face. He'd been a handsome boy in school and she had adored him with the rest of the girls but now... he was absolutely gorgeous! 

"Sorry," she muttered, still held captive by his eyes.

Sirius shook his head slightly. "I'm enjoying this, even if you aren't – a full frontal cuddle with a beautiful woman makes a perfect start to the day!"

"Idiot!" She stepped out of his encircling arms and giggled up at him. He smiled down at her a little but the expression in his intense eyes was unfathomable. Forgetting exactly where she was for those long moments, Heather was abruptly awoken by the pulsating of the crowd behind her. Sirius grabbed her hand.

"Come on, Heather. The queue's moving!" 

Heather was tugged along next to Sirius and he guided her in front of him. She wobbled on her sandals a little and cursed herself for choosing to wear them. It was the first time she had seen Sirius in about 20 years and she just _had to act like a klutz and fall all over him like a besotted school girl. She sighed in annoyance._

Sirius, looking down at her blonde head, shook his head in amazement. _Who would have thought he'd meet Heather Harris at a Quidditch match in Australia? It must be fate, he thought briefly before a voice in his head spoke up, mockingly: __For someone who doesn't believe in Divination, you seem to rely a lot on destiny! _

Sirius' face creased into his lady-killer grin and a woman who was in the path of his disinterested gaze almost fell over. He didn't notice; he was too busy thinking about the slight female in front of him. Heather wriggled, obviously having trouble with her shoes. She leaned down again, treating him to a glimpse of the curve of her backside and Sirius felt those familiar prickles of lust. 

"Having trouble down there?" He asked Heather and she tried to look up at him while adjusting her sandal strap. 

"No. I'm fine." She smiled up at him dazzlingly and he felt that all too familiar feeling stir again. "Oh! Dammit!" She pointed her wand at her feet and murmured an incantation. A pair of shiny white trainers changed places with the blue sandals. "That's better."

A bark of laughter made her look up at Sirius as he chuckled down at her. "Now, that's a spell I haven't heard before!"

The laughter alerted a woman a few people ahead to his presence. "Hey, Sirius! Over here!" 

Sirius saw Florence waving at him and waved cheerfully back. Heather joined him as she realised that her friend had seen them. Her smile faded a little as she saw Severus Snape standing with her in the queue. 

"What's he doing here?" She hissed, her earlier good mood forgotten.

"Calm down, Heather. Snape and Florence are back together-" He stopped as he saw the menacing look on her face.

"What do you mean? After that git hurt her all those years ago, she's decided to forgive and forget and let him break her heart all over again? And you're just standing there and watching him do it?" Heather's volume rose with every question until she was practically yelling at the top of her voice.

"Yes..." Sirius grabbed hold of her arm, holding it tightly but not enough to hurt her. "But it's her life and we must let her live it. Without interference." Sirius muttered something under his breath that sounded like "for the moment" to Heather, but, realising the wisdom of his other words, she calmed down a little.

"OK... but if he hurts her again, I'm gonna kill him." 

Sirius grinned slightly at the image of Heather taking on Snape in hand-to-hand combat. "You and me both, sweetheart. You and me both."

~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~

_Heather Harris. Sirius smiled a little; still surprised he had bumped into her. Well, that's a blast from the past! He could remember her vaguely from school: one of Florence's friends: short, blonde and ditsy. And she'd had a big crush on him!_

_But then, who didn't have? Sirius thought smugly, and then his smile faded a little. __The only one who mattered at the time: Florence. _

But that was all over now. He'd got over that years ago, after the Leaver's Ball when he had realised that she had fallen hopelessly in love with that rat, Severus Snape.

The ball hadn't been that bad – he'd had a couple of great dances with a lovely little blonde...Heather! _Of course it was her! How had he forgotten?_

He understood his feelings a little better now; they'd had a couple of dances, she had driven him wild with lust and then she had turned off like a cold tap and not spoken to him for the rest of the evening. He still had no idea why.

Sirius hoped she'd got over the immaturity of her youth and got better acquainted with the ways of the world by now, so he and she could get to know each other without playing games.

He smiled wolfishly at nothing in particular and startled Ginny Weasley as she entered the tent.

"Oh... ah... I was just gonna..." She blushed and the tips of her ears went pink, before she dashed out of the room.

Sirius ignored her and strutted out of the tent and towards Florence's. He bumped into her on the way and got hit in the shins with a water bucket.

"Oh! Sirius! I'm so sorry!" Florence cried.

Sirius leaned over and rubbed his shins a little before straightening up again. "S'alright. Didn't hurt too much. Why _are you carrying that thing around?"_

"Oh, Severus and I needed some more water and he wanted us to look as much like Muggles as possible so I thought I'd go find a tap."

"And Snape couldn't get the water because...?"

"He's busy." Sirius raised one eyebrow sardonically at her and she blushed. "OK, OK. I volunteered and he didn't complain."

"That's more like it! Oh!" Sirius realised what he was searching for her for. "You don't happen to know Heather Harris' address by any chance?"

Florence grinned at him. "And you'd be wanting that because...?" She copied his earlier tone of voice and he looked sheepishly at her.

"Well, I thought I could pay her a visit, catch up on old times... that sort of thing. Got a problem with that, Findal?"

"No, no. No problem at all." Florence gave Sirius the address of her  friend's bed-and-breakfast and he noted it down on the back of a business card he had in his pocket.

"Thanks, darlin'." He leant down and pecked her on her cheek and she slapped him lightly on his head. 

"It's OK." Sirius turned to go but her words stopped him. "Do me a favour, OK? Get your hair cut!"

He stuck his tongue out at her and loped down the sand dune back to his tent.

Florence watched him go and shook her head. She hoped he knew what he was doing; after being hurt by him at school, she knew Heather wouldn't be so compliant a second time.

Florence put the buckets of water down outside and, walking back into the 'tent' met Severus as he wandered out of their sitting room. "What have you been doing?" She asked conversationally.

"Not a lot." 

"Sounds shifty." She teased with a smile.

Noting the twinkle in her eyes, he decided to give her no more fuel for taunting, "I was talking to the headmaster." He caught her round the waist so that she couldn't get away.

"You know what they say? All work and no play…" 

"What?" He really wasn't in the mood; hopefully she would get it out of her system.

"…makes Severus a very dull boy." Florence finished in rather a subdued manner, as she was astonished that he didn't know the saying. She put her hands on his shoulders and lent into him in response to his embrace.

"Can't have that, can we?" Severus murmured.

~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~

Florence sat in a huge armchair by the roaring fire, still unsure why they needed a roaring fire in the middle of Australia and, also, how the tent was not burning down this very second. She guessed it was just the health and safety rules her mother had drummed into her when she was little that were affecting her; but then again, she didn't remember her mum telling her not to light a fire inside a tent...

Florence shook herself out of her very odd musings just in time to see some sparks light up blue in the fireplace. _Now who could be wanting me at this time of the evening... Although that does explain the need for a fire..._

"Florence? I think we need to talk."

Uh oh! Florence cringed as she heard Heather's voice ring loud and clear through the flue. She got to her feet, knowing that she couldn't put the dreaded conversation off any longer.

"Just popping out to see Heather!" She called to Severus and stepped into the fire.

In no time, she had reached the other end and stood in a room that looked like it had caught the chintz-disease (this must be Heather's accommodation for the World Cup). Heather stood in front of her, looking halfway between worried and annoyed. She gestured silently for her to sit down and Florence brushed herself down before taking a seat on the flowery bedspread, waiting for the explosion she knew was coming.

Heather took a deep breath. "Why did you not tell me? How _could you not tell me? I'm your best friend! I could have helped!"_

Florence opened her mouth to speak but didn't get chance to reply. It was obvious Heather was just getting warmed up. Even now, she was pacing the floor in furious consternation.

"And this is Severus Snape we're talking about! Have you forgotten what he did to you? How he left you without a word? Don't tell me you've forgiven him because, if you have, that's one of the most stupid things you've done since you first got with him! I can't believe it! I really thought you had more sense! You know I didn't really like him in the first place!"

"Heather..." Florence finally got a word in edgeways and her friend turned to face her, forehead puckered in worry. "I haven't forgotten and I haven't forgiven. He hasn't even told me why he left. I-"

"But you trust him not to do it again." It wasn't a question.

"Oh, I don't know! I don't know! It's just..."

"You love him. I know that 'cos that's your "I love him, Heather"-face."

"I...yes."

"The bastard! He's done it again! Ooh... he's gonna get a piece of my mind..." Heather muttered, almost to herself.

"Heather! You haven't stopped to think that it takes two to tango."

"He's got you under some sort of curse, hasn't he? You wouldn't be with him otherwise. You have to fight it, Florence!"

The situation would have been hilarious if it hadn't been so tragic.

"I'm not under any curse, Heather. I'm a responsible adult-"

"That remains to be seen."

"Heather!"

"So, you love him, you trust him, you're not under any curse. Everything's rosy. So, why didn't you tell me, if there wasn't anything to hide?"

"I..." Florence paused as Heather raised one eyebrow sardonically. "Because I knew we would just end up like this. Fighting. I didn't want to do it, Heather; I _don't_ want to do it!"

Heather sighed and sat down next to her on the bedspread. "Alright. OK. So I hate the guy. So he hurt you. So you love him and there's nothing either of us can do about it. But I'm not promising to like it or be your shoulder to cry on when it all goes wrong."

Florence looked into Heather's eyes and knew she wasn't telling the truth. She would be there no matter what happened, because she was a good friend, the very best. Florence leaned over and gave her friend a hug and Heather squeezed her tightly back.

"Oh, what would you do without me?" She sighed and grinned.

"Speaking of men," Florence wiggled her eyebrows, "Did I, or did I not, see you and Sirius Black hugging in the Quidditch queue earlier today?"

Heather groaned and her face became shuttered. "You did." She said, knowing that she couldn't deny it.

"And here you are going on about me taking Severus back and you and Sirius are back together."

"We are _not_ back together!" Heather protested. "We were never together in the first place!" She corrected.

"Then why did he come and see me today and ask for your address?" Florence played her trump card and grinned as Heather's mouth fell open.

"He did? I mean... what are you talking about?!"

"He came and asked for your address. Of course, as he's such an old friend and I had just seen you hugging like randy teenagers, I didn't hesitate in giving it to him..."

"You didn't? But... WE WERE NOT HUGGING LIKE RANDY TEENAGERS! I tripped and fell on him, that's all!"

Florence laughed. "That's what they all say..."

"Ooh!" Heather was going bright pink with annoyance and Florence smiled, glad that her teasing was coming off for once. "We. Are. Not. Together." Heather enunciated. "We. Were. Never. Together."

"Sure, sure."

"We aren't!" She squealed.

"OK! I believe you."

"No, you don't. I can see it in your eyes. You're laughing."

"That's because your reaction is so funny."

"No, it isn't."

"Yes, it is."

"No, it... Aarrghh!" Heather refrained from stomping her feet like a child having a tantrum. Only just. She did not want to be drawn into some bizarre pantomime like argument.

Florence raised her eyebrows.

Heather gave in. "OK, so I like him. What's not to like? He's gorgeous, funny, single... He's single, right?"

Florence nodded.

"Single..." Heather carried on. "But that doesn't mean that I want to be with him."

"Then why did you ask whether he was single?" Florence grinned.

"Because... OH!"

Florence laughed.

Heather tried again. "OK, so I wouldn't mind being with him. Only, if we were the last two people on Earth, of course."

"Of course." Florence repeated, tongue in cheek.

Heather glared at her. "But that doesn't mean that I'm going to be with him."

"Well, I don't think you need to make that move. It's obvious by the fact that he asked for your address that he's going to do it."

"Really? I mean... Aarrghh! Florence, stop it!"

"Sorry."

"No, you're not."

"Yes, I am."

"No, you're... We are not going through this again!"

"Ok, whatever you say." Florence smiled sweetly and Heather glared at her suspiciously.

"I'm not with Sirius."

"I know."

"Then stop smiling at me!"

"Why? Does it make you feel guilty? Have you got anything to hide?"

"NO!" Heather yelled, causing the man from the room below to tap on the ceiling and yell, "keep it down!"

"Now, look what you've done! You can just go away now." Heather turned her back on Florence, folded her arms and looked out of the window.

Suddenly remorseful, Florence gave her friend a hug. "I really am sorry you know."

Heather sniffed.

"I really am." Florence assured her.

"Sure you are." Heather grumbled but turned back to look at her friend. "You louse, you!"

Florence grinned at the use of Heather's favourite insult when they were at Hogwarts. She looked at her pocket watch. "I'd better go."

"Oh, so you're already tied to his apron strings!" Heather tried to keep a straight face but the thought of Severus in a frilly apron was just too funny a thought. The two women burst into laughter.

"No, really. I'd better go. It's getting late."

"Yeah, I guess I should have an early night. There's another Quidditch match on tomorrow and I might-"

"See Sirius?"

"No! That wasn't what I was thinking at all! I might get good seats if I go earlier!"

"Yeah, right..."

"You'd better go before I throttle you!" Heather threatened jokingly.

"OK. OK." Florence backed off towards the fireplace. "Have fun stalking Sirius tomorrow. With any luck, you'll be successful!" She quickly threw some Floo powder into the fire and jumped in before Heather actually did throttle her. 

~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~

Most of the Quidditch matches over, there was only the Final left the following day. It was early evening and Severus was already dressed for bed, the heat of the day making him lethargic. No matter how many cooling charms were put on the tent, or how cool the tent actually was, there still seemed to be a residual effect from his few short trips outside. 

He leant against the doorframe, watching Florence in the ornate role-top bath. He was reasonably sure that she didn't know he was there. She was led back, the light from the 'window' catching on her face, her eyes closed and her hair swept up so it was kept out of the water. A few strands had come loose though and hung wet around her face. She lifted her leg out of the bubbles to turn the tap for more water and he admired her openly and unashamedly. 

He knew Florence would get out soon, she would have that fantastic sort of glow and her fingers and toes would be slightly wrinkled. She would mosey around on the mats with bare feet, wandering aimlessly in one of those old bed robes, and brush her hair absentmindedly. Sometimes they'd talk about something and he'd stand still and watch her move about, or sometimes they'd just be silent. 

His arm chose now to twinge and itch. The mark had been getting clearer in the last few days, unfortunately proving all their suspicions correct. He knew he should tell her, it would be worse if she just noticed. There was only so long you could hide your arm from someone you were sleeping with. He couldn't keep making sure she didn't catch him dressing or undressing, couldn't guarantee that_ she wouldn't want to undress him and there were only so many times he could keep his shirt or nightshirt on when he made love to her before she caught on that he wasn't merely being eager. And the urge to just scratch at it, tear at his own flesh was almost undeniable. _

He chose to move away, disguised by the sound of running water. 

Severus sat down on the end of the bed to read a particularly interesting potions paper that he had brought with him, not having enough time to give it the attention it deserved before they left. To his annoyance, he found himself rather distracted by the impending sense of danger he could feel hovering over them. Florence came and sat behind him, plucking the paper out of his hands and, wrapping her legs round his waist, started to kiss the back of his neck; he knew just what she wanted when she did that.

Severus took her bare feet in his cool hands and started to gently rub them, something she hadn't anticipated him doing. His elegant fingers worked up their soles and between her warm toes, Florence trembled as an array of sensations bubbled up through her unexpectedly. His caresses began to travel higher up her calves and she couldn't keep her grip on him anymore as she went weak all over. 

Severus turned and smirked wickedly at her, his eyes glittering despite their blackness. _The perfect spy, _Florence thought abstractly, his eyes were such pure black that you couldn't distinguish their pupils from their iris, no one would ever know if he were lying, without magical help of course. Florence gripped hold of Severus' grey nightshirt as she leaned back onto the bed, pulling him with her. His gaze never left hers. 

He dragged her up the bed, discarding the potions paper onto the floor as he went, until she was lent back against the pillows. 

~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~

"The weather is just so spectacular in the morning!" Florence was peering out of the 'window' as she munched on some toast. "You know… it hasn't got too warm yet and it's just right."

Severus made an agreement sort of sound. He couldn't really have cared less about the weather. He was here with her, living with her properly. He got up from the breakfast table and stood behind her at the 'window', hugging her to him. 

The mark on his arm was vivid and clear and knew he had to tell her. She snuggled back into him with a blissful ignorance of what he was about to break to her. Last time he had accepted what was happening with an odd sort of detachment, but this time he had lived in a kind of denial, at least where she was concerned. The temptation to just kiss down her bare neck and enjoy the feel of her lent back into him, distracting him from wanting to grab at his forearm all the time, was almost overpowering. 

"Flo?" 

The tone of his voice was odd and Florence could only think to call it a reluctant sort of urgency. "What?" She said, trying to sound gentle, and having put the last of her toast in her mouth, put her arms over his and took his hands. 

His left arm made an involuntary twitch and he made a sound of frustration. 

"Severus?" She asked as she felt her stomach tighten now feeling more that a little worried. 

He made another sound, took his arms from round her, and she felt him crumple. Florence instinctively whipped round, kneeling beside him as he scrunched into the foetal position, his left arm tucked into his body. "Severus?" She could hear her voice getting high and panicky. 

His face was contorted, eyes screwed shut and jaw clenched. The more she tried to touch him, the more he tried to get away. Eventually, Florence just knelt beside him, at a complete loss. It seemed to subside till he was just sat on the floor, legs open and knees high, rocking a little; his eyes remained shut. 

"Severus… Speak to me please." _How did I ever become an Auror? I'm crap in an emergency. _

He wrenched his sleeve back revealing the mark; it was jet black and the flesh around it a sore angry red. Florence felt her eyes bug and sting but fought to pushed the feelings of nausea aside. She could see the muscles in his arms jumping spasmodically beneath his pale skin, the fingers of his right arm hovering over it as he fought to control the urge to rip at it.  

"I've been called." He rasped.

~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~

A/N: 

Hi! Hope you enjoyed this chapter!

There are just a couple of things we want to clarify:

The drinks ordered by Florence in the pub are real – they are made by a small, old-fashioned brewery in Devizes, Wiltshire, called Wadworths.

The story Graham was trying to tell Florence: "I was back-packing across the outback a few years ago, when I came across this clearing…" was from a really cool episode of Friends, whose title has escaped us for the moment and we're sure that we may have got it a bit wrong, but… *shrugs*.

Thanks to all our fabulous reviewers who we love dearly!

**Hopeful Writer: Yay! You've only reviewed two of our stories once but we love you already! Glad that you like all our little odd groups! We don't want to spoil the plot by mentioning anything too soon about the Quidditch but our advice is to keep on reading! J**

**Dana: Thanks for your lovely words of encouragement! You make us feel like star authors!**

**Tegan: Sorry! To be honest, just as it gets nice, Martha can't help but add little moments of angst to keep us all on our toes – even Squirrel!**

And to the rest of you – keep reading and please review! There's nothing that makes us happier than to see that little review number go up!


	23. ABBA

Chapter 24: ABBA

Disclaimer: We don't own the characters, places or anything recognisable from the Harry Potter Books 'cause they belong to J. K. Rowling. We write only for our own pleasure and make nothing from it. 

~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~

He wrenched his sleeve back revealing the mark; it was jet black and the flesh around it a sore angry red. Florence felt her eyes bug and sting but fought to pushed the feelings of nausea aside. She could see the muscles in his arms jumping spasmodically beneath his pale skin, the fingers of his right arm hovering over it as he fought to control the urge to rip at it.  

"I've been called." He rasped.

Florence sat in a sort of mesmerised stupor on the floor for a few moments, too many thoughts swirling in her brain to react. 

Severus whipped his sleeve back down and stood in one fluid movement. He strode into the sitting room. 

"Severus…" Florence felt utterly dazed and sat gawping for a second, her mind trying to catch up with this information. Things starting to fall into place, she stood and rushed after him. "You're not…? You're not going are you?" 

"Of course I'm not bloody going!" He turned on her and yelled, instantly regretting it. He could feel his temper boiling over and supposed that it had always been his way to deal with panic. 

Florence didn't have the slightest clue what to do. She had a thousand questions of him but, to her horror, she realised she was frightened to ask them, not because of the answers but because she was scared of his reaction. 

She didn't ever want to be scared of him. The only memory she had of it happening before had been after Christmas when he had lost it with Mulciber. She shivered as she stood in his icy glare and unconsciously started to bite her lip. 

They stared at each other for a long time. Florence didn't know whether to move, stay still, try and talk to him or just go. Severus tried to think of anyway he could put this right… and couldn't.  

She wouldn't let herself be frightened. It was stupid. He had never hurt her physically and Florence had no reason to believe that he would start now. 

Then why was she saying nothing? Perhaps that wasn't what she was frightened of. She didn't want to have to deal with this; the last few weeks had been lovely. Everything had been thrown into chaos in the matter of a few seconds. 

His features, so tight and drawn with anger, seemed collapse like a house of cards in a draft. He just looked broken.

In a moment of mercilessness and sudden hurt, she took the opportunity to attack. "You knew. You knew that this was happening, and you didn't tell me." She drew in a breath. "What did you think I would do? All those chats with the Headmaster… Did he know that you weren't telling me?" 

Severus sat down heavily. "No."

"You lied to us both?"

"I didn't lie, I merely… withheld information," he corrected. 

"Fine…! You 'withheld information'." Florence hadn't been this angry in a long time and the fact that he sat there and looked so sorry only made it worse. "You should have been able to tell me." That was the route of the anger. She was hurt that he hadn't been able to say anything. "I hate this." She murmured. "I need to be angry with you, and I can't because there's something so bloody important going on." Florence unconsciously started to pace and Severus wished he hadn't sat down.

"Stop it, you're making me dizzy." 

"_I'm _making _you_ dizzy?" 

"You're right, this is too important to get angry over." Severus got up and stood right in her path. 

"So…" Florence tried to save her anger for later. "What plan have you and Albus cooked up and not told me about?" and only partly succeeded. 

"Albus has a plan up his sleeve, I was supposed to be more actively involved but had to be replaced." He looked momentarily bitter before he masked it. "It will work," he assured, sounding more confident than he felt. 

"How do you know that it's going to happen here?"

"Educated guess."

"You've nothing more concrete than guess work?" Florence felt as though the world was unravelling round her. 

"Albus knows people all over the world, they all know where to find him… he's just waiting for the call."

"Oh, that's good of him." Sarcasm seemed appropriate. 

"I should speak to him," Severus announced, lighting a fire in the grate. 

"Me first." Florence informed him, threw powder into the new fire and called for Sirius. His face appeared in the flames, as she knew hers would have done at his end. 

"Don't go to the match," she instructed, not bothering with the niceties.

"What are you talking about?! It's the first time England has reached the final in forty years! It's gonna be historic!" Sirius sounded incredulous. 

"It's going to be historic alright, but for all the wrong reasons!" Florence was very aware of Severus' aggravated pacing behind her. "Don't let Heather or the Weasleys go; Voldemort's back and you have to trust me on this." 

"Oh God, you cannot be serious!!!"

"Believe it, Sirius! I have proof and it's right behind me, if you know what I mean!" 

"Bloody Hell! We've gotta do something."

"As I understand it, Dumbledore has it sorted, but you have to stay away!" 

"I'll go to Heather now," he said. The fire spluttered and his face disappeared.

~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~

As they neared the throngs of queuing Quidditch supporters, Florence felt herself starting to panic. "Why don't we just tell them all to leave?" She stopped, grabbing at Severus so that she could talk to him. 

"They can't apparate from this close to the stadium, you know that; they would have to run." Severus said in a quick urgent tone. "The Death Eaters could be among them or in the stadium waiting; they would start killing immediately." He spun round to start marching off again.

Florence stopped him. "How do you know they aren't killing already, as they file helplessly into the stadium?" 

"This will be Voldemort's ascension party. Believe me, it will be a planned spectacular." 

He was angry, seemingly with her, and Florence was finding it hard to deal with and remain calm. "You're suggesting he wants to kill them all?" She made a grand gesture, indicating all the swarms of witches and wizards ahead of them.

"Think what it would mean? All the power he would gain, not only from their deaths; the entire wizarding community would be crippled. There would be no hope!" He took her by the shoulders as he said the last words. "Do you see what I'm saying?"

"Of course I see!" She was angry with him now. He had known, really known, that this was more than just a possibility and he had kept it from her. What had he been hoping for? "Surely telling them to run would be a favourable option, then?" 

"You and I may think so, but Albus, in his state of permanent optimism, thinks he can stop this before it reaches a crucial point." 

Severus' grip on her shoulders was now so tight that Florence had to force them off. "He would gamble all those lives?" 

"Of course he would. That's why he's the greatest wizard of our time." The conviction in his words stopped Florence's thought process in its tracks. 

She physically, and mentally, shook herself. "As I recall, he's let a teenage boy fight this battle every other time," she bit. 

"And I think he would have again this time too if something he's been working on for the last thirty years hadn't finally come together." 

"You mean he actually has a plan?"

"As I delight in telling him, there are only so many times anyone's, even the famous Harry Potter's, hand will let them play the Jammy Bastard Card."  

"And we're the decoy?" Florence found her voice was now very hushed. 

Severus viciously shook his head, his hair flicking in his face. He reached to hold her again and she didn't resist. "_I'm_ the decoy." He stressed, bringing his face close to hers. 

"Severus?" 

"Please…!" he breathed, "Head toward the camp, get back to Hogwarts and tell the headmaster that it's time." 

"I'm not just going to leave you." Florence found a firm and determined tone that sounded a lot more confident than she felt. 

He leant forward, pushing his mouth over hers. Florence felt his grip on her shoulders intensify again as he stretched her up slightly and tried to drag her closer. She reached out as best she could in his firm grip to hold onto him too, answering his desperation with her own. Was this one of those times that you threw caution to the wind and said what you were feeling no matter what the cost might be? He pulled away making her feel as though they had been ripped apart. "Please…!" His voice was strained and hushed. "This is me trying to beg you." He had her eyes locked in his and Florence knew he really meant it. 

"I…" She faltered. The feel of his mouth forcefully covering hers was still intense, the torrent of emotion provoked by their situation too much to grasp.

"Just go." He let his hands slip from her upper arms and turned to walk away. 

Florence just stood and stared at him go. She could feel her eyes starting to fill up and blinked hard to stem the flow. She knew that she was meant to do something other than just stand there and collapse in a little crumpled pile of bones on the floor but couldn't think what it was. 

Florence wasn't sure how long she stood there. Suddenly there was a hand on her elbow. She jumped, letting out a sharp little sound of surprise. 

"Florence."

"Sirius." She breathed in relief. 

"Don't worry, I saw Heather. I don't think she'll be coming today," he assured. 

Florence's mind whirled. And in some miraculous revelation of chance, her spinning mind slowed and landed on an idea. "Sirius, you've got to go to Hogwarts, get Albus. He's ready to stop this." She turned on her heel, trusting him to just do her bidding, and tore back toward the stadium. 

"Florence?!" he yelled after her. 

"Just go!" She yelled back, passing on the words that Severus had said to her, not looking back. 

The crowds were almost all gone; the last few people were excitedly showing their tickets and being guided through the gates and up steep metal steps into the stands. Florence halted near the security wizards on the gate and couldn't think for the life of her what had happened to the tickets in all the panic and haste. 

She decided to take a risk and reached inside her robes, hoping desperately that this would work, and pulled out her Auror ID. "Emergency," She gasped, out of breath. The guards stepped obediently out of the way to let her through. 

Florence made her way blindly through the scaffold of the tiered seating, deeper into the stadium. On some lucid and well-trained level, she noticed the lack of officials and it became apparent that getting out onto the pitch wouldn't be difficult if it was necessary. 

Severus stood near the edge of the pitch, looking out over it from behind a crowd barrier. Florence took a step back when she reached him, for some reason not wanting him to see her right away. 

There was a flash of green light and the scaffolds of the stadium seating seemed to glow just for a moment. Florence drew in a shaky breath and the crowd fell from a deluge of roaring, enthusiastic noise to a deadly silence. It felt unnatural and false for a moment as though someone had just turned her ears off; she shook her head trying to clear it. 

Walking forward just a few steps, she could see the crowds on the other side of the pitch, their flags had stilled and they no longer waved. They were frozen. Florence felt a chill of fear, why was she not affected? She turned her hands over in front of her in reassurance that she was all right. It must have something to do with the scaffold; the entire crowd were held by it. 

The stillness seemed to highlight the slightest of movements. A chocolate frog wrapper drifted by on a breeze and Florence watched it as though it was somehow important. Movement on the pitch quickly grabbed her attention though. The tunnels for the players to emerge from were suddenly filled with figures. Hooded figures. Florence shivered; she had never fought these people in wartime. When she had faced a Death Eater she'd had a name, a profile, a probable location and orders to kill on sight if necessary; it had never been necessary. 

Nor had someone else's safety ever felt more important. 

There was another flurry of movement as the hooded and masked figures started to file slowly and confidently out onto the grass. Their path curved and they stood framing the centre circle. 

Snape dashed over to the centre of the Quidditch pitch as Florence watched, briefly routed to the spot.

Voldemort stood almost smugly in the centre circle and let out a terrifying laugh, one that froze the blood of the helpless audience. His Death Eaters surrounded him, almost like a force field, and joined in the maniacal laughter. Loose hoods covered their faces but Severus knew who most of them were and hate filled his heart like never before.

"Aaah...Snape. I thought you'd come." But Voldemort's cold eyes did not rest on his former minion but on the form of the woman now approaching him and he smiled slightly; not a nice smile but one filled with terrifying malevolence. He raised his wand but paused as Florence stopped behind Severus. She pushed him out of the way slightly and stepped in front of him, her Auror training kicking in.

Fear filled her but she just nodded in acknowledgement at the dark wizard, her eyes blazing in fury. "Voldemort." She said strongly.

Snape silently cursed. He had both sets of tickets tucked in his robes; she was never meant to get into the stadium, let alone see this. He sensed an icy grip on his stomach and, all the mental preparation in his head leaving him, felt the cold rise of panic.

The Dark Lord's eyes narrowed a little before his face twisted into a parody of a grim smile. One of the hooded figures moved towards the pair but Voldemort ordered him back, preferring to dispose of them by himself. The Death Eaters obligingly stepped back into their positions, but their wands were held ready in case anything went wrong again.

Voldemort circled the pair, intrigued by what was presented before him. This woman was either stupidly brave or in fear of losing something very dear; she most certainly was not a Slytherin. 

Snape stiffened in readiness. He didn't trust Voldemort to obey duelling etiquette as far as he could throw him. He set Florence behind him slightly, which annoyed her greatly - _she wasn't some woman who needed protection! - and made a great mistake._

The dark wizard saw the movement and realised that Snape had at last got a handicap: not only did she love him, but he also loved her back. What better a gift than foes with their weaknesses painted on their foreheads. He raised his wand carefully and Snape raised his in response but, instead of aiming at his enemy, Voldemort directed the ready curse towards the defiant brunette that stood slightly behind him.

"Somnumors!"

A scream punctuated the air and Florence flew back, hitting the ground with a resounding crack. Snape's face changed from one of impassivity to fear and anger but he knew he couldn't go to her without sacrificing the rest of the world to Voldemort's power.

A cruel smile swept across Voldemort's snake-like face and he moved slowly towards Snape. The latter froze on the spot, still in fear and grief for Florence's life. He had brought her into this and it must be he that avenged her death. It was this that made him straighten and face his greatest fear.

"You betrayed me, Snape. You betrayed me and, like a coward, you ran and hid behind Albus Dumbledore; that _honourable defender of Muggles, Mudbloods and ...deserters, it now seems. And now I will have my revenge. We will duel." Voldemort's red eyes glinted and he circled the ex-Death Eater like a tiger with its prey in sight. He had no intention of killing these two; they would be far too much fun. His mind was already on overtime as to how. _

Severus heard the challenge as though it came from inside a faraway dustbin. He felt as though the image of her crumpled on the floor had been imposed over his vision

The Death Eaters looked on worriedly, almost as if they were afraid their master would fall again but they did nothing to help him or they would incur his wrath.

The two wizards bowed to each other – a slight incline of their heads – a custom in duelling. They didn't show as much respect as a full bow would, but a lot more pride.

Wasting no time, Voldemort screeched "Expelliarmus" causing Snape to fall back, but from his position on the ground, he grabbed his wand and got straight back up, ignoring the pain. He looked on as the Dark Lord laughed at his pride, realising that everything he had just done had been more or less on instinct. 

"You have such arrogance, Snape. It used to be admirable before you turned... soft." Voldemort's eyes hardened and his narrow, almost serpentine nostrils flared. 

Snape bared his teeth in a terrifying sneer that only seemed to amuse the Dark Lord. "Pomerius!" Severus hissed the first thing that came to mind in an attempt to buy some time and a silver wall appeared between him and his enemy that caused Voldemort's eyes to widen.

"You disappoint me, Snape, if you think mere party tricks will defeat me!" The Dark Lord dispersed the mist like protection with a flick of his wrist and Severus, taking advantage of the distraction, hit Voldemort with "Cultellus". 

Voldemort staggered back with the momentum of the curse and cried out in anger as he felt a thousand knives stab into his body. But he was too strong to succumb for long, overcoming the curse easily and advancing on Snape once again.

Suddenly, four new bodies were visible on the side of the pitch. Voldemort saw them and made a barely seen gesture to his Death Eaters. 

Severus wondered briefly at their sudden dispersion, but only for a moment.

"Ah, Voldemort. I see you're up to your old tricks again." Came the familiar voice of Albus Dumbledore. 

He looked quite angry actually, more angry than most of his students had ever seen him. He gained the attention of Snape by putting a firm hand on his shoulder and gestured for him to go to Florence.

Voldemort watched the byplay with narrowed eyes. "And what's this, Dumbledore, another one of your games? You've brought your family to defeat me?" He laughed.

Dumbledore's eyes narrowed. "No. I assumed you'd already heard of my companions."

"If I had already met them, they would be dead, I'm sure."

Ignoring the comment, Dumbledore introduced his colleagues. Algo Prim – a portly sort of fellow with a head of wild, wiry white hair and wearing elaborate custard coloured robes with a pipe sticking out of the top pocket. Barbarella Moore – a sturdily built, rounded woman who wore flowing robes of bright rainbow colours that set off her brown, curly hair; and Branson Leggett – a younger, taller, handsome man with sandy coloured hair and violet eyes.

Voldemort just stood there and laughed, thinking it impossible that these weak, ridiculous people could possibly defeat him and his Death Eaters.

Severus wouldn't realise until later just how little he remembered of the events with Voldemort. As he approached her he meant to kneel but ended up crashing awkwardly down on his knees, jarring his body. 

On some level he was aware of the events that were happening, but was more worried about the still form of Florence who was lying on the floor. He knew she was alive because he could feel her breathing as he lifted her clumsily into his arms and stood; it was her motionlessness that had him concerned. She had to get back to Hogwarts, and fast.

~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~

A/N:

Hi there!

**Starlight: **Martha is a country girl, but Squirrel has lived in all sorts of places. Thank you so much for all your encouragement in our exams. We are both off to the same Uni and living in the same building, (so no need to worry about the dreadful duo being split up!). We had been a little worried about Flo taking Sev home, as you had done something so similar, but we just didn't know what else to do with em! Thank you for your support.

I (Squirrel) was shocked when Martha told me that she hadn't seen that Texas Vid… So now there is a huge hunt for it going on!

**Jen**: Hiya. Wow, it's great knowing we have readers so far away! We never leave our little world of England so pretty made up the whole Aussie thing. We hope that we made no huge boobs, or offended anyone. 

**Hopeful Writer: **sorry about the long wait. It was a tough chapter to write and Martha has been suffering dreadfully from plumb addiction!

**Tegan: **We're glad you like long chapters 'cos you can expect many more in the future ;-) Sorry about the cliffhanger again but *shrugs* we like to keep you on your toes! You might know already, but we're trying to construct a Heather and Sirius story thing as well, which should be posted as soon as we're happy with it.

See (or whatever) you all soon, hope you are well.

Luv Martha and Squirrel. xxx.


	24. Catch The Wind

Chapter 25: Catch the wind

Disclaimer: We don't own the characters, places or anything recognisable from the Harry Potter Books 'cause they belong to J. K. Rowling. We write only for our own pleasure and make nothing from it.

~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~

The vast contrast in temperatures between the close balmy heat of Australia and the mild climate of Scotland was quite staggering. The air crackled fiercely around them as Severus apparated back to Hogwarts, just outside the apparation barrier, with the motionless form of Florence in his arms. He had to pause for a moment; apparating from one side of the planet to the other in just one jump just wasn't done, and with a passenger was almost enough to knock any wizard out cold. 

He could just distinguish the form of Sirius Black making his way toward the gates with a stretcher and was determined not to flounder or pass out. He had let Black carry her away from him before, after the incident in Diagon Ally when they were at School; she'd been hurt because of him then too, and he hadn't taken care of her. This time he wouldn't hand her over so willingly.

Severus managed to find legs from somewhere and swept past the approaching man; he would get her to the infirmary himself this time. Adrenaline had got him out of the stadium and this far; he didn't want to start flagging now. His limbs felt worse than if they'd been made of solid lead as he made his way up the steep stone steps to the entrance of the ancient castle. 

"Did you apparate in one jump…? Severus, this is important: apparating that far is dangerous at the best of times… Give her to me." jabbered Sirius as he followed in Severus' wake, firing questions and demands, but Severus' mind was unable to process any of them; he was too blinkered by his task.

Reaching the top of the steps, Severus realised that the sides of his vision were starting to grey and blur - he didn't have much time. The lifeless form in his arms seemed to get heavier and heavier. 

He didn't know how he made it up the two flights of stairs and along the corridors to the school's hospital wing. Kicking the door open, he set her down on the nearest bed before the floor did what it had been threatening to do since he appeared outside the gates and came up to meet him, everything going black.

"And a stop off in Delhi have cost him what? 30 seconds at the most… but no, he has to take Merlin-knows-how-many miles in one go… All to be the hero." 

It suddenly became apparent to Severus that he was awake. 

"Now I have to deal with Apparation-Fatigue as well." She let out an exasperated huff.

"Flo." Severus' eyes snapped open and he sat up, rewarded with searing pain in his eyes and limbs. He scrunched back up, wincing and getting the distinct impression that he was about to fall from the top of some invisible cliff, his head swimming. Madam Pomfrey wasn't happy; Severus decided that keeping his eyes closed would have been the favourable option. 

"Keeping still would be a good idea, Severus." He found himself being pushed down into his pillows again.  

Waking and feeling as though a particularly large elephant had sat on his head, Severus braved opening his eyes. It wasn't as painful as he remembered. Moving was however. 

Turning his head to one side, he saw Madam Pomfrey fretting round the hospital bad next to his. It was clearly occupied by Florence. "Why is she still like this?" He enquired.

The matron turned round, surprised to see him awake "I really don't know what's wrong with her." She said, fussing with her apron pocket. 

"You don't know?" Severus felt a surge of anger and tried to push it to one side. 

"We still don't know if there's anything we can do to help her."

"You mean she may never…"

"We really don't know." 

"Severus, nice to see you conscious." Dumbledore came in, cutting Poppy off, he seemed a little less cheerful than normal, but looked quite pleased with himself. "I suppose we should get you up to speed."

Severus ordered his thoughts. "I trust everything went as planned after I left." He didn't care.

"Oh yes, quite well, not a hitch." 

"You don't know what's wrong?" He asked accusingly, getting strait back to the point.  

"I'm afraid this one has all of us stumped." Dumbledore looked sadly down at the woman on the bed. 

"All?" 

"Well, yes. Hogwarts is rather full for the summer. My colleagues are staying around for a while." 

Madam Pomfrey quickly stepped in and knocked Severus out again, unconsciousness was the only way to get rid of the initial symptoms of Apparation fatigue.

~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~ 

Branson Leggett, the one time DADA professor, winked roguishly at Madame Pomfrey as he swept through the door of the Hospital Wing a few days later. Sidling up to her, his face became serious.

"How are they?" he asked, not bothering to say hello in his urgency.

The frown lines between Poppy Pomfrey's brows deepened slightly. "Florence has not shown any signs of waking yet and Severus… well, he just sits and stares at her."

Branson patted her on the shoulder. "You did very well to get him in the bed in the first place."

"He had no choice! He was unconscious," Poppy smiled.

"Is it ok if I just go and speak to him for a while?" He gestured over to where Severus was sitting in a chair in the corner.

"Oh, go on then. See if you can make him eat."

"I'll do my best."

Branson walked casually over to Snape and took the seat beside him.

"Hello, Severus. How are we today?" he asked cheerfully, causing Severus to turn to him with a frown.

"What are you doing here?"

"As cordial as usual. I'm glad to hear it." Branson adjusted his navy robes so that he was sitting comfortably.

"What do you want?" Severus snapped, already impatient with the other man.

"Is it so odd for friends to visit each other while they're in hospital?"

"I wasn't aware that we were friends."

"Then, it's a nice surprise for you to know that we are."

Snape's brows lowered ominously. "Find someone else to jest about, Leggett. I don't need you here."

"On the contrary, I've been hearing some very worrying things about you that make me think you do. For instance, you haven't eaten anything for a while and you haven't been sleeping, so poor old Poppy hasn't been able to force anything down your stubborn throat while you were unconscious," Branson reported casually, as if he was discussing plans for his next teaching session.

"That's of no consequence."

"I believe it is, old boy. If you don't eat then I'm afraid you're going to have to die, and we don't want that."

"What's the point?" Severus let his true feelings shine and Branson was more worried about him than he had ever been.

"There is plenty of point in you living! For example, where is Dumbledore going to get a better Potions teacher? Who is going to incite fear into the hearts of the students like you do? It's going to be all right. Just eat something for me, will you?" Branson placated, with no success.

"No."

_It's time to pull out the big guns then, the Irishman thought impishly. He took a banana out of one of his voluminous pockets and started to peel it slowly and thoughtfully, trying to get Severus at least slightly annoyed. He felt faintly pleased to see a spark of irritation in Snape's eyes before they turned empty again._

"Your opinion?" he ground out derisively. "Why would your opinion matter? Why would the opinion of a glorified popinjay matter to me?"

Branson couldn't help himself; he grinned. "Oh, so now I'm a popinjay? That's one haven't been called before."

"This is no joke, Leggett. Sometimes I think you're worse than Lockhart," Snape snarled.

The smile faded from the older professor's face. "Now, that was unkind. You know how much I despise that git. Now, he is a popinjay."

Severus twisted to one side, away from Branson, to stare at Florence again.

"Look, I know how much she means to you…" Branson began again, only to be harshly interrupted.

"You don't have a clue."

"Why, because I'm unmarried? I'm four years younger than you and I've still been in love many times…"

Severus grunted and his companion sighed.

"This isn't helping…" Branson cursed. "Dammit, Severus. You're impossible! At least that hasn't changed…"

Snape ignored him, sitting in silence.

"I wish I had known her before this…" Leggett murmured to himself and was startled when Snape's head whipped round.

"She's not dead!"

Branson removed some of Snape's hair that was still clinging to his face. "I know that. I was just wondering if you did."

"What?"

"I mean, you're acting as if she's dead; giving up, mourning for her. Imagine what would happen if you died from malnutrition and lack of sleep and then she woke up to find you dead." Branson stood up and took a couple of steps back for safety purposes, before speaking again. "I think you're being rather selfish, actually."

"Selfish?" Snape echoed in a deadly undertone.

"I'll see you later, Snape. If you snap out of it, I'll be in my rooms, after I've run a few errands. Maybe we can have an afternoon tea - I've been meaning to try those macaroons Dumbledore keeps raving about."

Branson swept around and marched out of the room, leaving Severus staring after him with barely-concealed anger.

~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~

"And that's it?" Severus said angrily to Dumbledore. 

"Would you come with me, Severus? I think you may be able to help." The Headmaster said calmly, steering the younger man out of the infirmary. 

Unsurprisingly, they ended up in the Headmaster's office after a silent journey. 

"It would help immensely if we knew how Voldemort cursed her." Dumbledore began carefully, sitting behind his desk and indicating that Severus should also sit. "If you could remember the incantation, anything, it would be invaluable."

Severus knew it was useless, he had been reliving it over and over in his mind, it was just a blur, so many of the events he now unsure of. The whole memory was so unspecific; he couldn't remember the words. "It's useless, it's so clear in my head, but the words…" 

"There may be another way." The Headmaster stood and went to a black cabinet on the other side of the room. Bending down, he lifted out the small bowl of a pensieve and placed it carefully on the desk in front of Severus. 

"You want me to relive it?" Severus looked upon the small empty bowl in front of him. 

"You could solve this by doing so." Dumbledore stated as blasé as though he were telling Severus that he might be able to finish a jigsaw puzzle if he were brave enough to look under the chair cushions for the missing piece.  

Severus sighed. 

Dumbledore put his hand on his shoulder, "I'm going to leave you. You can stay here if you wish, or take the pensieve away." Dumbledore opened the office door, let a rather decrepit Fawkes hop onto his shoulder and left. 

Severus had only ever used a pensieve once before and knew that the mind had an amazing ability to stray, all sorts could be connected together and you would spend hours in front of the bowl sifting through worthless memories that were no use to what you actually wanted. 

He took his wand and started to siphon off thoughts of the events in the stadium. Once they started to flow there appeared to be no stopping them. He did not look forward to living through this lot.

Knowing that he had only one memory he wished to relive, Severus stopped drawing off his thoughts, the pensieve already a seething mass of silvery activity, every now and again a whisper from the past was just audible.

Things slowly started to came into focus. 

Sirius' face swam into view and fixed him with a glare of contempt. "I really don't like you, Snape, and, over the next few years, you'll only begin to touch the surface of my revulsion for you. Watch your back, slime ball." His voice sounded like an echo but the veiled hate was still loud and clear. Snape swirled the silvery waters around again, knowing that he had gone too far back.

Stirring the silvery liquid, Severus waited for the next echo to surface from the bowl. The plangent hiss of Voldemort took him somewhat off guard. "I have an assignment for you... It's going to need your 'special attention'." Severus felt his stomach tighten, he was still too far back, but he knew where that memory was from. The orders he should never have taken.

"…you're back in my heart and I'm defending you... I can't do it again, I can't risk it." Florence voice rang out and Severus wasn't sure how much longer he could bare this. He stirred the contents of the pensive again. 

"How are we both going to fit in there?" Florence looked confusedly up at him and Severus frowned slightly. At least he had reached the memories of Australia. He stirred the bowl again and was greeted by her face swimming again into view.

"I'm not just going to leave you," she said firmly and Snape winced slightly. She had meant what she said; he shouldn't have underestimated her… It was almost the point in which Voldemort's ascension party would start. Severus ducked his head nearer to the bowl and felt the almighty lurch as he slid into his own memories.

He watched himself run across the pitch towards Voldemort and followed at a slower pace, watching to see Florence trail out after him. It was heart wrenching to see her awake again only to have to watch her be injured, but it was the only way.

"Aaah… Snape. I thought you'd come."

Severus was distracted from his thoughts by Voldemort's voice hissing the words that had started the bother. Florence had stopped behind him and was pushing him out of the way, intent on bringing Voldemort down herself.

He watched as Voldemort circled his and Florence's memory-selves, obviously thinking about what to do about this new complication. He saw Voldemort's eyes widen as he set Florence behind him and wished whole-heartedly that he hadn't done something so obvious, hadn't given in to the reflex action.

Voldemort had stopped in front of them and was eyeing them. He raised his wand and directed it at Florence, shrieking, "Somnumors!"

Snape's breath caught in his throat as he saw Florence screaming and flying back with the weight of the curse, her body landing with a loud crack and lying motionless on the grass.

Severus' eyes widened as he remembered the name; Somnumors… He left the scene, rising into the air and landing flat on his feet in Dumbledore's office.

"Somnumors?"  Dumbledore looked worried. "I'd been afraid that you might say that." 

"You had an idea what it might be and you didn't say anything?" Severus scowled. 

"Well, there's no way to check, it would only ever have been a suspicion, you can't be sure unless, of course, you're sure." Dumbledore finished.

"Are you going to tell me what it is or just sit there and talk nonsense?" Severus bit, momentarily forgetting who he was talking to. 

Dumbledore appeared to understand and didn't take offence. "Somnumors Is the Sleep of Death. She will not wake and she will not age." The old man sighed. "Only the caster can break the spell." 

"Only?" Severus enquired, looking for the loophole.

"Well, the casters wand would do it…" 

"Then we find someone who can use Voldemort's wand." Severus stated.

As though life was ever that simple. "I'm afraid that I have something of a confession to make." Dumbledore looked at his desk and then, sighing resolutely, back at his Potions Professor. "We had the wand destroyed, after Voldemort was defeated. We didn't want to leave any possible avenues for return." 

"Then a similar wand." Severus ploughed on undeterred. "As I understand it, Fawkes has given more than one feather." He shuddered on the inside at the thought of asking Potter for help. 

"I really wouldn't allow you to risk it, it's one of the most delicate spells in existence; it was never meant to be broken unless Voldemort wished it. The wand itself would act as her anchor, to bring her out of the sleep. Without that particular wand, she is tied to nothing on this plane.  If I had to guess this was intended to be a method for torturing you." 

"Well, it's working." 

~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~

New year…pupils. The feast had started, probably finished, and he really didn't care. Would it matter that he hadn't gone? Did it mater that it mattered?

You could just make out the squid flicking a tentacle from below the surface of the lake. Was there only one squid? Where had it come from if there was? How long did regular squids live? A giant one would likely have a giant age. The squid had been there as long as Hogwarts. Was the squid there at all or was it just funny water? What a crap life. Just one huge squid in a huge lake, its only purpose was to be huge and scare the first years. It had no one to talk to, nothing to do except for the afore-mentioned being giant.

Severus felt like his throat was closing up; breathing was becoming more of a challenge. He had the overwhelming urge to break something, preferably something that would splinter and hurt him in the process. He just wanted to feel anything but this heavy sensation, like his chest and throat were full of clay and there was an ever-increasing lack of space for it. The more he thought about it, tried to get rid of it, the more all consuming it seemed to become. 

It was late, the sky starting to turn a deep blue. He didn't know how late. Late enough that you had to strain to see more than silhouettes. 

At what point do you give up? Was this it…?

Was there a point to dreaming?

What lay ahead seemed so barren and empty. Pointless. And the past seemed riddled with so many wasted opportunities. Regrets. 

She was still led up there, alive, breathing in and out, but dead. 

He'd worried about the revenge that would be taken for his betrayal. Let it take over at times. His rooms in the dungeons were so heavily protected and his fear keeping him so alert that paranoia had almost become a habit. Constantly looking over your shoulder, fearing what lay under your own skin because of what it signalled was to come. Fear of death. He hadn't guarded against this; this revenge was much different, the sort of thing he should have expected and hadn't. 

Now he had a fear of life, of this future that lay ahead. Why had it never occurred to him before that he had nothing to live for? 

~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~

Branson wandered into the infirmary after the feast. Spotting Madam Pomfrey, he made a beeline for her. 

"Where's Severus?" He asked, looking around. 

Poppy looked instantly worried. "He wasn't at the feast?" 

"No." 

"Oh dear, I sent him away this afternoon to get some sleep and a change of clothes before the sorting ceremony." She put down whatever she was doing "…I was hoping he would go out of a sense of duty or something and perhaps eat a meal." 

"Well, I'll go and see if he's about, don't worry, he's probably just fallen asleep or something." He reassured the Matron, sounding much more confidant in his words than he felt. 

"I'll do the same." Poppy said.

~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~

Realising, quite belatedly, that his backside was rather damp and numb from sitting outside for an unknown amount of time, Severus got to his feet. He cast a glance up at the castle and realised that his gaze had been pulled directly to the infirmary windows. 

Why was he so consumed with thoughts of her? Never again to feel those little glimmers of heaven he found in her arms. What was the point in living to die and go to hell? And the only person he had in the world to say goodbye to couldn't say it back.

Severus took off for the infirmary. 

He just stared unseeing at the side of her face. Severus put his head on the pillow next to hers so he could smell her. Closing his eyes so he could try to make himself believe that, if he reached out for her, she would hold him back. He'd never feel that again. She'd never wind her arms round him in the night, or curl her fingers in the front of his cloak. He had only had the memory of those things now. Never to really feel any of them again. 

He could in his mind though, clear as day. Feel the weight of her in the darkness, the certainty that she was there. Her warmth. The thought of it made him shiver with the cold. 

"Why? Why can't you smell of ordinary things, like other people? Why do you have to smell of a heaven I'll never touch?"

He leant over to kiss her, just one last kiss. 

"You'll never know how I feel."

What was there left for him to try? Severus turned his face into her pillow and let his shoulders shake with emotion, never before had he felt so helpless. 

He'd felt so alive when they were together, how long had it been…? February, March, April, May, June, July… the first week of August. Six months and six days, was that long enough to have lived? Did other men live longer? Perhaps he deserved no more… but did she? She was bright, good, all the way through. 

And just one of those days would have been worth every single tomorrow. 

Rising to leave for the last time, Severus noticed something he hadn't before and couldn't believe he had missed it. Her eyes were dancing beneath their closed lids, clearly seeing things that he couldn't. She was dreaming. 

~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~

A/N: 

The chapter title comes from the 1965 song by Donovan; it just made me (Martha) really sad while writing this, the lyrics are so heartbreaking, so I named the chapter after it.

Sorry this chapter has taken so long but it's been tough to write and we have been rather taken up with a new hobby (one armed lifting of a television with a biro!). 

As you have probably noticed we have a couple of new stories. 'The Wrong Kind of Man' is all about **Heather and Sirius! Those two crazy cats have been keeping Squirrel busy for a while now and the story should fit in quite tightly with the last few chapters of 'Wrongs darker than death or night'. 'Over the Moon' is a bit of a ****Remus story we cooked up, but it's slow going because Martha is writing it! **

Thanks to **Starlight**, **Hopeful Writer** and **Tegan** for your lovely reviews. Sorry for keeping you in suspense!

Love, 

Martha and Squirrel.

xxx.


	25. Bald as a Bandicoot

Chapter 26: Bald as a Bandicoot.

Disclaimer: We don't own the characters, places or anything recognisable from the Harry Potter Books 'cause they belong to J. K. Rowling. We write only for our own pleasure and make nothing from it.

~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~

Dumbledore sat in his office; on the opposite side of his desk sat Poppy Pomfrey. Albus was not looking forward to his next conversation with Severus. He sighed and leaned back into his high armchair. 

"Do you know where he is, Poppy? Still in the infirmary?"

"He wasn't there when I left." She usually left him the same way. Just sat beside her, staring at Florence's still form, his head on the pillow beside hers. He sometimes didn't leave for days. 

The door to the circular office opened and both occupants looked up in surprise. Poppy sighed in relief. 

"Ah, speak of the devil," said Dumbledore, without his usual mirth, upon seeing Snape in the doorway. "Please take a seat, Severus. We need to speak to you."

Severus sat reluctantly in the seat next to the matron. 

"Poppy and myself have been talking about Professor Findal." Dumbledore watched Snape's expression briefly flicker at the mention of her name. "Your own success with the Pensieve has led us to only disappointing conclusions, as you know…" Albus was finding the words hard to say and was relieved when Poppy took over.

"Severus… There appears to be very little I can do. And in light of that knowledge, I would have to recommend transferring her to St. Mungo's. I just cannot justify keeping her in the infirmary of a school." There was a horrible silence. 

Fawkes crept to the end of his perch but didn't make his usual attempt to raise spirits, as though knowing this was a hopeless situation. 

Poppy eventually stood. "I really must be going…" She couldn't even look at Severus as she backed out of the room, not envying the Headmaster one little bit.

Albus Dumbledore let the silence hang in the air, uncharacteristically having no idea what to say. Never before had he seen a man so broken. Severus seemed to have glazed over around the point when Poppy had said 'very little I can do'. 

Severus mind was whirling – he'd only just got her back. If they took her away… Just moments before he had been ready to end everything once and for all, at least until – 

"She's dreaming."

Dumbledore had not expected this statement; in truth he had not expected words at all. "Severus?"

"I can't believe I didn't notice it before." Severus looked up to meet the Headmasters gaze as though realising he was there for the first time.

"Do you have reason to believe this important?" Albus would have been willing to humour just about anything at that moment, just so glad that Severus hadn't given up completely. 

"I'm not sure…" There was a pregnant pause. Fawkes scuttled back along his perch and ruffled his bright plumage, almost in an omen of approval. "Can you give me a fortnight? Keep her here…? I think I may have an idea." Severus seemed to drift back into his thoughts, his eyes focusing on the gaudily patterned carpet. 

"I will do whatever I can, Severus, but I must warn you against getting your hopes up… It wouldn't be wise…"

"Thank you."

"Ahem, Severus," Dumbledore said carefully.

"Yes."

"There was something else…"Albus informed him. "Barbarella has kindly offered to teach some of your classes… She's been itching for years to be honest," he trailed off, deciding Severus wasn't likely to want to know. "I'm sure she could be persuaded to give you a few weeks…"

Severus looked unaffected by the news.

"That is, of course, if you can bare the thought of someone else in your classroom."

This got a reaction. Severus looked more like he'd been told someone would be stepping into his underwear rather than his job. He cleared his throat. "She may have access to my classroom, nothing else. She will use none of my private stores and I will still have the sole access to my lab."

Dumbledore would never cease to be amazed by Severus' ability to make doing him a kindness seem like he was doing you a favour.

Within moments, Severus was in his library. His library adjoined his rooms and was filled with one of the most comprehensive collections of Potions literature in the country. Potions periodicals and papers were spread out over every surface. He knew what he was looking for; he just wasn't finding it. 

The memory of it was clear in his mind. A fairly old potion with a new development: the Patefactio potion. He had-

She had read it to him. 

Severus left the dungeon, taking several steps at a time. He almost knocked over two Hufflepuffs in the entrance hall, but didn't stop (even to remove house points). 

He was quickly at her rooms. Severus hadn't been inside since they had left together at the end of the term. He found himself stood outside, having to summon the courage to go in. He had left several volumes here; all he knew would be essential. 

Severus took a deep breath and unlocked the door. Inside was exactly as he remembered: homely and full of her things. He was still aware of her scent despite the fact that she hadn't been there for at least six weeks. Every last inch of the room was a memory and Severus found he just stood inside the door staring silently about him. 

He was eventually shaken from his reverie by a voice at the door. "Severus?" He spun round. Leggett was in the doorway.

"What the bloody-hell are you doing here?" Snape snapped irritably. 

"I was just off to bed and I saw that the door was open. I thought it might be you. Poppy and I were worried earlier when you weren't at the feast." 

"I doubt that proceedings were ruined due to my absence." Severus started to look around for what he had come for, suddenly wanting to leave in the hope of getting rid of this insufferable man.

"Still, it would be nice to think you were eating." 

"What do you care, Leggett? Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm a very busy man and don't have time for your infernal chitchat."

Branson sighed. "I've told you before that I care because you're my friend. But you are obviously quite incapable of human interaction, so I'll leave you alone in future!" He stormed away. 

"I really wish you would," Severus called after him.  

~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~

Caleb, Maggie and Jack stumbled into the Potions classroom, their hearts heavy. Another year had started and, although they were glad to be back, they weren't glad to be back in Potions. 

Finding their stools, they just looked up in time to see their teacher stride into the room… and their mouths fell open. 

"Good morning, class! How are you doing?"

Silence. They had all been prepared for Snape, but no one had expected an assault from everyone's favourite hippy auntie.

"Ahh… you must be wondering where the delightful Professor Snape has gone?"

"He's dead?" Caleb called out, more out of wishful thinking than certainty.

Their teacher looked shocked. "No, cherub! How could you think such a thing! 1 point from… what house are you from?"

"Slytherin." Caleb said brightly.

"Alright. 1 point from Slytherin."

"What?! He's not in Slytherin!" A girl from the offended house shouted out.

"And what house are you in, sweetheart?"

"Well, Slytherin…" The girl admitted, startled by the question.

"Another point from Slytherin for lying. Though, I do admire your loyalty for another of your house members. On second thoughts, you can have a point for loyalty; I do so like that in a Slytherin."

The Slytherin girl sat with her mouth open, while her friends admonished her for her honesty.

"Miss? Can I just ask a question?" Jack called out.

"Of course, dear. Just one more before we start making some potions. We don't want to waste any more time." The woman looked at him expectantly.

"Uhh… who are you and what did happen to Sna- uh, I mean Professor Snape… please?"

The woman smiled. "Of course! I forgot! I'm Madam Moore and Professor Snape; well, he's just feeling a little peaky so I volunteered to take some of his classes. Ok?"

"Yes, Madam Moore." Jack smiled.

"Now, lets get down to making some potions… Ooh, I do so love a good brew!" Barbarella Moore declared amid a titter of giggles. "Open your books to page 203, if you would. We're going to make a hair-removing potion! And, believe me, it does come in handy, girls."

Caleb stuck his tongue out in disgust. "Yuk!"

Jack grinned. "I'd rather a clean-shaven girl than a gorilla!"

"Which is why you like me so much, eh?" Maggie chipped in with a charming smile, which made Jack cough into his inkpot.

"Right, I've already put your ingredients out on the table. Work in twos, if you please. No complaints." Barbarella swept around the classroom, not finding it as easy as Snape due to her rounded figure. 

Caleb sidled up to the girl next to him, Natalie MacDonald, who gave him a shy smile.

"So, did it hurt when you fell from heaven?" Caleb tried to make his throat sound deep and gravely but ended up sounding like he had swallowed a frog. It took a while for Natalie to smother her giggles.

"Now, is anyone in here particularly hairy?" Their teacher asked and the class melted into guffaws.

"I personally think Jared is the hairiest one in here, Miss." Jack grinned as Madam Moore moved towards the scowling Slytherin.

"I'm nothing compared to you, Ivander." Jared retorted. "I've heard that you could rival an orang-utan!"

"Now, now, boys! I only wanted one volunteer to test the best potion on at the end of the lesson but you seem to have volunteered each other. I suppose two won't matter."

She moved away while the two boys glared daggers at each other.

Their potions nearly ready, the children were beginning to get used to this new, more relaxed, atmosphere. Jack was pretending to pick up coot feathers from the floor when the door burst open with a resounding crash. He jumped and hit his head on the table, almost destabilising his and Maggie's cauldron. He got up just in time to see Snape disappear through one of the doors at the back of the class. Blinking stupidly at Maggie, Jack enquired, "What just happened?" 

There was an odd hush over the whole room and Jack looked about him in confusion, before sitting down abruptly.

"Oh, marvellous! Wonderful! That's perfect, my dear." Madam Moore broke the silence as though nothing had happened "Tell me, what's your name and what house you're in?"

"Uhh…" The small, blonde girl looked startled at the attention. "I'm… Anneka and I'm in Gryffindor."

"Lovely!" Madam Moore clapped her hands together. "10 points to Gryffindor… or, do you think I'm being a bit generous?"

The young girl shook her head and Barbarella grinned.

"Ok! 10 points it is. Fantastic potion brewing!" She looked at her pocket watch. "Goodness gracious! Look at the time! Boys…" She beckoned to Jack and Jared and they reluctantly stepped forward. "Now, where do you feel like losing hair from?"

Jack grimaced before holding out his arm; Jared followed suit. 

"So, neither of you boys want to lose your head hair? Shame; that's much more of a dramatic loss…" Barbarella clucked her tongue. "Never mind. Anneka? Can you just spoon some of your potion into this pot? Thank you, cherub. Here goes…"

Madam Moore spread some of the blue potion on each of their arms and waited a few seconds before washing it off.

"Super! As bald as a bandicoot!"

"Err… bandicoots aren't bald, Madam, and my arm is definitely bald…" Jack commented, looking at the hairless skin.

"Oh, stop fussing! The potion worked…" She was interrupted by the bell and the students rushed to their desks to pack up their notebooks and ink. Barbarella cleared up the mess with a sweep of her wand and sank down onto her desk chair. "See you all next lesson. And, each of you, research something that's bald for me, so I can get it right next time?"

Caleb followed his two friends out and immediately started analysing the lesson. "So… what do you reckon is really going on?" he asked eagerly.

"Really going on where?" Jack said, but he kept staring at Maggie and didn't even look at his friend. 

"With Snape; I wouldn't have called that look 'peaky'," he mimicked Madam Moore's expression. 

"Why do you care? We didn't have to sit through a lesson did we? That's what really matters." 

"But Dumbledore says that Professor Leggett is back; that means that Professor Findal is gone. Maybe she dumped him…" Caleb rambled on dreamily, undeterred by Maggie and Jack's apparent lack of interest.

~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~

Severus sat surrounded with books, parchment covered in meticulous notes and a selection of ingredients. He had papers on all stages of the Patefactio potion and the antidote, along with several other potions that included ingredients to link two people (everything from the Polyjuice potion, to let you take on the appearance of someone else, to the Inugomens potion, which allowed the drinker and a chosen subject to be able to read one another's minds). He was attempting to modify one potion while, at the same time, including elements from others to give extra properties. 

He was starting a number of tests, diluting the effects of some ingredients and attempting to enhance others.

Late in the evening, he started to brew what he believed would be a successful first stage to the potion: a delicate, but fairly simple procedure that should enable any number of variations to be made from it.

Branson opened the door into the Potions classroom carefully, just in case anyone was there, but the room was empty. All he could hear was a worrying silence; worrying, because he knew for a fact that Severus was down here.

"Severus?" he called, but with no reply. 

He edged towards the door at the back of the class that led to Snape's laboratory and opened that door, breathing a sigh of relief as he surveyed what was inside.

Snape was sitting down in a desk chair, leaning his head on arms that rested on a worktop. His breathing was slow enough to imply that he was sleeping, for the first time in ages.

Branson smiled slightly, but the smile froze as he saw the remains of a cauldron to the side of the room, the contents leaking out to form a threatening puddle on the floor. 

He cursed and moved towards it, sniffing the air to work out what exactly the potion was. It must have been important for Snape to leave Florence's bedside. All he knew was that Snape must have really needed the sleep, if he had not heard the explosion.

He toed the potion with the sole of his boot and frowned as he smelt burning rubber. Snape must have gone really wrong, if he had expected anyone to drink this.

"Leggett! What have you done?!"

Branson spun round at the sound of an irate Severus and smiled slightly, trying to keep his cool. It seemed that, every time he tried to be a good friend to Snape, he ended up shouting at him. This time he wouldn't.

"Had a good sleep?"

"What?! How dare you ruin this potion? Don't you know how important it is?!" Snape's eyes burned with anger as he surveyed the mess.

"Me?!" Branson took a deep breath to calm himself. "I'm sorry, Severus. This potion was ruined before I arrived…"

"And I'm supposed to believe that? You are the most stupid…"

"Hey! Wait a minute, there. I have done absolutely nothing! It's your bloody fault that you can't stay awake long enough to finish a potion!" Branson felt his anger brewing and gave up trying to control it, knowing that Severus wouldn't believe him anyway. The man was so stubborn!

"YOU are criticising MY potion-making skills? What planet do you come from, Leggett?"

"Ahh… I was waiting for the arrogance to make an appearance! You're an absolute prat, if you believe that I could have made this mess in the two minutes that I have been in this room."

"And how do I know you've only been in here for two minutes? You could have been in here for hours!"

"Uh – I don't think so, sunshine. You want to see my lesson plan?"

"You have the potion making skills of a Gryffindor; therefore, you could blow up a potion in twenty seconds, if you put your mind to it."

"You've gone too far there…" Branson threw his hands up in the air in anger. "Oh, I can't be doing with you right now," he yelled as he stalked out of the room, leaving Snape to clean up his own mess.

Slamming the classroom door behind him, he caught the attention of Argus Filch, who was making his way down the corridor.

"You're just making more work for me there, slamming that door… Professor," he grumbled but Branson ignored him.

He stopped only to say, "If Severus was any more attached to his lab, he would have peed all around it!" before storming up the corridor.

~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~

Heather rushed into the hospital wing, waving absent-mindedly at the matron, and seating herself next to Florence's bed. She looked pale and her blue eyes were shadowed with lack of sleep as she stared down at her friend. This wasn't the first time she had visited since the accident, but the number of visits had no affect on the worry that consumed her. After all, Florence had been her best friend for well over 20 years.

"Florence?" Heather picked up her friend's listless hand, hoping that this time she would gain a response but, just like all the other times, Florence's eyes remained shut, her body still. "Speak to me…"

Heather called for a cup of tea and began to gently chatter to her about nonsensical things. "You know, my mother hasn't got in contact for a while; I think she's finally run out of things to bug me with! Imagine that… Oh and Sirius is just… well, you know… Sirius! I guess he's as dreamy as ever. He invited me to live with him and… that's where I'm living now. Isn't that amazing? If you had told me this would happen at school, I would have had a fit!"

A harrumph from behind her brought her to the attention that Snape was sat in a chair opposite the bed; he was glaring at her, but she just ignored him.

"I do believe Snape is giving me nasty looks. You'd better tell him off… Please, tell him off, Florence." Heather's voice broke as there was still no reply and Severus stood up quickly, his head down, walking away to allow the two friends some privacy. Heather knew that he wasn't too far away, just in case. A tear spilled down one cheek and she changed tacks.

"So… you know, I might still be in love with Sirius… He's oblivious as ever, but I'm going to keep trying though." Heather bit her lip. "Just the other night, he nearly caught me telling the mirror that I wanted to have his children…"

She trailed off as she noticed the tall man who was stood at the foot of the bed, one eyebrow raised so that it was almost hidden under his sandy hair. 

"Uhh…" She groaned in embarrassment. "So, who's this?" She directed at the still body on the bed.

"Branson Leggett. Professor Branson Leggett." The man held out his hand and Heather grasped it, shaking it calmly.

"Hello, Professor Leggett. Don't mind me, I'm just nattering away…"

"Call me Bran. And don't worry about it. I came for the same reason." Branson grinned and took the seat on the other side of the bed.

"You came to ask Florence for help about man-troubles?" It was Heather's turn to lift her eyebrows and Branson let out a short laugh.

"Not exactly. I'm more here to keep an eye on Severus, while telling Florence all the news."

"News? What's the news for today?" Heather looked at him expectantly and he grinned, his violet eyes sparkling.

"Well… bread and butter pudding with custard is the best dessert that is being served for dinner tonight…"

"And I wonder who told you that." Heather grinned, knowing that only Dumbledore would have supplied such information. "So, do you work here?"

"Sort of. I'm the Defence Against The Dark Arts Professor."

"But Flor-"

"She was my replacement and now I'm hers… temporarily." he added as he saw the sadness in Heather's eyes. "I work at the Ministry."

"Oh! I worked at the Ministry in Australia. I was hoping to get a job in England but…" she shrugged, "no vacancies at the moment. I thought I recognised you! Weren't you at the World Cup?"

Branson blushed slightly. "I may have been."

Seeing his embarrassment and not wanting to be reminded of Florence's incapacitation, Heather changed the subject. "So, you've been lumbered with the task of looking after the infamous Professor Snape."

"I wouldn't say that but, as a friend, I feel it's my responsibility to watch out for him. He's taking it pretty hard…"

"Just like the rest of us, but he deserves to feel guilty – if it wasn't for him, she wouldn't have been there. But then I could have stopped her from seeing him…"

"I don't think this is the right time to assign blame." Branson interrupted firmly, his pronounced Irish accent marking the fact that he was upset.

"You're right."

"Hey, do you fancy grabbing a coffee in my rooms?"

Heather looked down at the bed and nodded slowly. "You don't mind, do you?" she asked Florence. "I didn't think so. I'll speak to you later, if you know what I mean! I still need your advice on a few things regarding a certain male we both know…"

Branson smiled and started walking with her out of the hospital wing. "So, who's this male?  If you need some advice, I'm sure I could supply some."

"Well, as a matter of fact…"

~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~

Severus made his way back down the steps from the infirmary and down into the dungeon, while the castle was kept free from hubbub by the last of the morning lessons. The first stage of his potion had been ruined the last time he had started, so the second attempt was being approached in a much less bull-in-a-china-shop manner. He had taken respite to go to the hospital wing as the potion only needed to simmer. 

Returning to find that things in his lab were calm, Severus settled to chop some Knotgrass. Lost in thought, he didn't notice when the door swung silently open. 

Dumbledore crossed the room to have a word. "I assume this will not remain a secret forever?" he asked. 

Severus looked up from his chopping. "You startled me."

"There's a first time for everything I suppose." The Headmaster offered a weak smile. 

Snape continued at what he was doing. 

Dumbledore glanced around the room, giving Severus the chance to reply to his earlier enquiry. When none was forthcoming, he picked up some of the pages of notes that littered the desktop and began to peruse them. 

Several ingredients later, the silence in the room only being broken by the rhythmical sound of knife on chopping board, Dumbledore spoke; "If I'm understanding this, it's really quite ingenious." 

Severus looked up, almost as though he had forgotten the older man was there. He thought for a moment. "You said that she required an 'anchor' to awaken. I propose to provide a new one." 

"You propose to use another person's consciousness linked to hers? Am I understanding this correctly?" 

"I propose to use my own." Severus stated. 

Dumbledore raised a wiry grey eyebrow. "Are you sure about all this?" He rifled the notes some more.

"Are you questioning my ability?" 

"Not at all. It just appears to be a rather long shot, that's all." 

"It's not that complex actually. The tried and tested Patefactio potion would be used. This would put me into a state of 'waking dream', if you will. I would be conscious, but also accessing my subconscious," he started to explain. "The only alteration I am making is to link our two minds. There are many potions that do similar things, it's simply a case of identifying the required ingredients." 

"You would share dreams?" Dumbledore asked. 

"That is what I'm hoping." Severus selected a shallow-bowled copper spoon from the wall of his lab and returned his attention to the infant potion. "She has an extended REM cycle, meaning that I have to finish this soon or I may have to wait months before she starts dreaming again. 

Dumbledore mused that it was a brave thing for Severus to be doing, given the things he likely dreamt about. "And when you awaken, you hope to bring her with you?" 

Severus nodded. 

"Poppy won't like it." Dumbledore stated simply, and wandered from the lab. 

~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~

Poppy was ready with the antidote; a look on her face that would have crippled lesser wizards. She was obviously not in approval of Severus' plan, even if it may be her patient's only hope. Professor Dumbledore was also there to make sure that she allowed him to continue. 

"I have to tell you that in no way do I agree with this plan. This potion is rushed, untested and potentially lethal." 

Snape answered with a mere incline of his head. 

"I cannot believe you are condoning this, Albus." She made her last ditch appeal to the headmaster. 

"I can't really protest, Poppy, when you know I would do the exact same thing." 

She gave an exasperated sigh and started making preparations. "If you are to do this in my hospital wing, you will follow some rules." The normally friendly matron started laying down terms. If this had to happen, it would at least be her way. "You say that the effects of this _creation_ should last around twelve hours. Well, I'm giving you four and then I'm bringing you out of it. You will remain in the hospital wing for three days following this… this attempt. I have no desire to find out too late that you have invented some sort of slow release poison." The tone of her voice let them know that there was no point in arguing; Severus decided to give it a shot anyway.

"According to my estimations, if I fail on this attempt it will be at least a month before I can try again. The least you could do is give me the full twelve hours."

"Entertaining this madness is the least I can do." She turned away with an air of finality, drawing the curtains around the bed at the back of the infirmary.

_The first year in seven that didn't end with having to patch up Harry Potter and look what happens_. Poppy wondered what she could possibly have done to deserve these people.

Severus kicked off his boots and removed his cloak from his shoulders then lined up a couple of stoppered bottles next to the bed. He began to add the exactly measured amounts of the two liquids together in a goblet. There was a low, ominous gurgle from the bottom of the vessel, and the new compound started to bubble. 

Poppy looked on dubiously.

Severus turned to Florence's sleeping form, putting his back to the matron, and lent over her, softly stroking her hair as he spoke quietly in her ear. "I'm sorry, I'll try not to hurt you." He took two strands of hair as carefully as he could from her scalp and, straightening back up, acquired the same from himself, dipping both in the now much calmer potion. 

Her anger lost, Poppy watched transfixed, as he was so loving with her patient. Never with anyone else had she seen him in this light. He shrugged out of his tunic, never taking his eyes off Florence. Poppy was certain that he wasn't even wholly aware that she was there. Sitting beside Florence's bed, Severus leaned over to her to whisper again, leaving Madam Pomfrey feeling as though she were intruding on something very private. 

Turning back to the matron, Severus offered her a nod, letting her know that he was ready to begin. All bustling concern, Poppy accommodated him, nodding her approval and shuffling to the end of her patient's bed. She checked her watch and Severus began.

~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~

…And there she was, not the woman he knew, but it was her. He dropped to his knees and gathered her in his arms. She couldn't have been more that four years old, but he would know her anywhere, any-when, and she definitely seemed to know him. 

"Severus." The little girl would her arms around his neck. He fell back so he was sat on his heels and she crawled onto his lap, clutching his robes for dear life. Relief seemed to surge through him as he held her back, rocking her in his embrace as she tangled a tiny hand in his hair. He felt as though he had been searching forever, one nightmare scenario after another, some confusing, that quite clearly were not his own, and others terrifyingly familiar that he hoped she would never have to see. 

"Flo." Severus let himself breath her name before forcing his eyes open and being hit with the reality of the stark white infirmary. He had to get used to the idea that he wasn't really kneeling. Getting unsteadily out of the chair, he stepped toward her bed, all of a sudden it seemed very clear what to do. 

"Severus?" Poppy was stood in front of him looking worried and poised with the antidote. 

"Trust him, Poppy." Dumbledore's voice drifted from somewhere to Severus' right but he hardly noticed it as he tried desperately to concentrate on the feel of the child in his arms, not wanting his subconscious to jump again. He thought he had found her before, only to find himself face down in a field when he re-entered the dream state.

The matron stepped out of his way, allowing Severus to lift the covers of Florence's bed and sit down. He gathered the real Florence up into his arms the best he could and let the feel of them both mingle into one. He could feel the little girl's hot tears running down his cheeks as she wept with obvious relief. 

Dumbledore watched as Severus again had to force his eyes open, motioning to Poppy for the antidote. She was eager to hand it over and visibly sagged when the whole vial was drained.

Severus pushed his face into Florence's hair and let her scent wash over him, the little girl slowly fading away. He screwed his eyes shut and mentally begged any higher power he thought might listen that this would work, his own state of maintained consciousness providing an anchor to bring her back.

Madam Pomfrey steered Dumbledore away, a grave expression on her face. 

She remained still in his arms; her breathing didn't change. Severus felt as though he might choke and pulled away enough to wipe the little girl's tears from his cheek. 

But she was just in his mind. 

Gently pushing her away, Severus saw that both Florence's cheeks were wet with tears, her own. "Flo?" he whispered urgently, whipping the moisture from her face with his thumb. "Flo, please." Severus shook her carefully. 

Florence drew in a huge gulp of air; Severus felt her muscles tense and she pushed away from him.

~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~

A/N: Sorry about the delay in this chapter but, as we have just started University, it's taken a while to get our Internet sorted out! Not to mention the little cliff-hanger we left you with.

Things shouldn't be too bad now (if we can find the time to write!). 

Martha has a new keyboard and the buttons are all sticky, so she's v-frustrated with it!!!!!!

Grrrrrr!

**Starlight: **Thank you as always for your nice comments. 

**Tegan: **Thank you for the mention at the end of your chapter! We are really enjoying your story.

**Hopeful Writer: **Thankyou as always for your kind words

Love,

Martha and Squirrel. x. x. x.


	26. And We Thought We Had Problems'

Chapter 26: '…And We Thought We Had Problems!'

Disclaimer: We don't own the characters, places or anything recognisable from the Harry Potter Books 'cause they belong to J. K. Rowling. We write only for our own pleasure and make nothing from it.

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Florence drew in a huge gulp of air; Severus felt her muscles tense and she pushed away from him.

Severus let her pull away, looking around him in sudden realisation of his surroundings. To his surprise, Madam Pomfrey had left and they were enclosed within a plain wall of curtain.

Florence's eyes were still shut, but she yawned widely, screwing her face up. Severus didn't know how to process what he was feeling. He cautiously reached forward and brushed her hair off her face. Her eyes snapped open and then she blinked furiously, the light stinging them. Languidly she brought up a hand to rub them as she yawned again.

Severus was awash in a sea of relief and just stared at her.

"Severus?" she muttered, amid another half stifled yawn; she seemed to relax against him a little.

"Flo," He sighed, drawing her close and leaning forward till he could put his nose in her hair. "I thought I'd lost you." Florence heard breathed against the top of her head. "I love you so much." The words were out and in the air before he even realised what he was saying but it was the truth and he felt oddly relieved; the fear induced by the thought that she may never know gone for good.

She groggily looked up; Severus realised that his heart was racing as he looked down at her. One of her arms wound round him, and she drew herself higher so that she could hug him properly, turning her face into the high collar of his white shirt. "You found me," she whispered to him.

Severus found himself doing the same. He turned his face into her, to hide in her long hair. "I found you," he affirmed, more to assure himself than to clarify, her wakefulness still feeling like a miracle. He hadn't once let himself fantasise about this working.

Hearing someone conspicuously clearing their throat, Severus looked up to see an impatient matron looking through the curtains at them.

"Severus… I've made you up a bed," she said pointedly as she took in their entwined bodies. "And you need to drink this, dear; your muscles will be very weak." She put a goblet of steaming liquid next to the bed and directed her words at Florence. She then undrew the curtains to show off the windows and a second bed, but leaving them out of sight of the rest of the hospital wing. "I want you both to stay for another three days." She bustled round as Florence eased herself away from around Severus and looked sheepishly at the busy matron.

Severus got up from the bed and sat rather stiffly on the one next to it.

"I'll get the House Elves to bring you both a meal." Poppy gave Florence a worried and mothering look. "I expect you're ravenous."

"Thank you." Florence felt extremely groggy as she sat up carefully and reached for the goblet, able to feel Severus' eyes on her all the time.

Madam Pomfrey bustled out through the curtains and, the moment she was gone, Severus got up to reach the goblet for Florence, handing it to her warily.

"I'm ok…" Florence assured, lifting the drink slowly and cautiously to her mouth, her arms feeling dreadfully feeble.

They could hear Dumbledore speaking outside their curtains: "Surely there would be no need to keep Florence here that long? She should be fine, shouldn't she?" Albus queried.

"Don't question my methods, Albus. This is my hospital wing and I know what's best." Poppy said severely, putting the Headmaster firmly in his place.

"Quite, Poppy, of course."

"Will you join me for tea?" she asked, much more warmly.

Florence and Severus heard no more; they must have retired to the Matron's study.

It was a few minutes before they were brought food and Florence concentrated on drinking the potion Madam Pomfrey had given her without dribbling or her frailty causing her to spill. She had so many things to say, questions to ask, but seemed top only be able to take one task at a time, all the time aware of Severus' vigilant gaze.

Some small part of Severus was curious to know just how long it had taken him to 'find' her. He watched her, still reeling from elation and the experiences he had just endured, all the time wanting to know what she was thinking.

The goblet drained, Florence looked up and gave Severus a small smile. He hesitantly returned it. Florence realised she needed the toilet, so tried to ease off the bed.

Severus got up and caught her just in time.

"Be careful," he scolded.

"I need the loo," she murmured.

Severus put his arm round her for support and Florence clung to him as he guided her across the infirmary and through the door to the bathroom. Putting her on the toilet, Severus turned around for her privacy.

Florence giggled. "You've seen me on the toilet before," she said to his back.

"I know."

"You are funny sometimes." Florence declared.

Severus harrumphed.

"Err… I'm done."

Severus helped her up.

Returning to their beds at the back of the hospital, under the watchful gaze of the Matron until they went behind the curtains, Florence and Severus were silent. He helped her up onto her bed and then they both spoke at once.

"You first." Severus conceded.

"What you said before?" she began.

To her disappointment, Severus looked down.

Florence ducked her head so that she could nudge her cheek to his, forcing him to look up, and then gently rubbed their noses. She brushed his hair back away from his face. "Severus, I-"

"Please don't," he cut her off.

"Don't what?"

"Say anything, don't tell me how you feel, I don't know if I could bear it either way."

Florence hugged him. "Why not?" she whispered into his collar, holding him tighter.

He sighed and a long silence lingered until he eventually spoke. "If you don't feel the same, I don't know what I'd do." he began, talking fast, "But if you say you do…" He petered off.

"Then…?"

"Then it wouldn't be true, would it?" he started. "There are things you don't know, things I've done, I'd never really be able to…"

Relaxing her grip on him a little, Florence looked into his face. "Then tell me, tell me all these things that are going to make me hate you so much…" She looked away briefly, considering the wisdom of her next words. Lifting her head to look into those black eyes, Florence said "I want you to believe me when I tell you that I love you." She had half expected him to pull away from her so was relieved when he just drew her back against him and she wound her arms tightly round him.

A house elf came in with plates, and Severus sat next to Florence to eat.

Florence looked up from her food when there were footsteps outside the curtains. Madam Pomfrey looked through the curtains, apparently pleased to see that they were only sat on the same bed.

"You have a visitor," she announced.

Severus sighed and put his plate to one side, looking up with what can only be recognised as irritation.

Branson Leggett poked his head round the curtain and smiled. "Hello, how are you doing? I came to see how your plan went and I can see it was successful. Nice to see you awake, Florence."

Florence gazed at him with utter confusion – had she lost her memory? She was certain she had never seen this man in her life.

Seeing her bewilderment, Branson apologised profusely. "No, we haven't met… Well, I've met you, but you've not seen me…" He shrugged. "I'm Branson."

"Pickle?" Florence supplied, causing both men to look at her in astonishment.

"No. Branson Leggett."

"Shame." Florence fiddled with the corner of the bed-sheet; she didn't feel like entertaining strangers just yet.

"Well, you can just call me Bran." Branson smiled nicely at her, trying to put her at ease.

"Flakes?" she countered, confusing both men yet again but amusing herself no end.

"Err… No. I'm the feller who's taking over your job for you… or rather, I'm taking mine back temporarily."

"Oh… right." Florence hadn't thought of that and felt worse than she did before "How long was I gone?"

"A fair while. You missed the rest of the summer; school started last week." Branson sat on a chair opposite Severus, ignoring his deadly repelling looks. He wanted to get to know the woman that he had been visiting for the past month.

"School's started?" Florence looked shocked and a part of Branson wished he hadn't told her so abruptly. She didn't even know what had happened with Voldemort.

"Yes. Don't worry, though; your job is waiting for you. I'm going to help you out for a while 'til you're back on your feet and then I'll be going again." Branson took one of her hands.

"Where?" Florence was sure that she wasn't usually this blunt, or daft for that matter; she was just tired.

"Back to the Ministry." Branson answered shortly. "It won't be long until you're back in the swing of things," he burred.

"Thank you… Bran."

Branson nodded happily. "I've heard a great deal about you."

Florence lifted her eyebrows. "You have? I hope it was good."

"Of course it was. Most of it was from Severus." The Irishman grinned. "I won't tell you any of it though, as to not embarrass him." Florence looked from one man to the other, frowning. She really must have been gone for a while.

Severus scowled fiercely and Branson held his hands up in surrender. "No harm intended, old man."

"I don't see why you keep calling me that as you are only four years younger than me," Severus said, annoyed.

"Calm down, old man." Branson grinned again and Florence couldn't help but giggle, she had never seen Severus rise to someone's taunts quite that easily in a very long time.

"Anyway, before I rile Severus up any more…" He stood up, straightening his robe. "I'll be seeing you again soon."

"Bye," Florence called as her new friend strode through the curtains. "I like him."

"Bloody annoying, Irish fool!" Severus declared in sheer exasperation.

"Don't tell me you two are friends?" She smiled sweetly, unable to resist taunting him.

Severus harrumphed.

"How long was I really gone?" Florence asked.

Severus moved to sit down next to her on the hospital bed. "Six weeks." He said quietly.

"What happened, the last thing I remember was running out onto the quidditch pitch...Voldemort." She shivered at the memory.

"He cursed you, the Somnumors curse." He told her.

Florence tried to remember what she knew about it. She still felt very thick headed. "I must have been adrift, asleep and not able to wake up." She remembered.

Severus nodded, obviously finding the memory difficult.

"You would have needed his wand to end it."

"Albus and the others had already destroyed it by the time we realised what he had done to you." Severus found her hand with his and wound his fingers round hers.

Florence looked at their two hands, his long fingers. The reality of what they had told each other sunk in, and how a tiny gesture like taking her hand could tug on her heart surprised her. The mood Branson had left in his wake was gone and long forgotten. "Did they really stop Voldemort?" She asked, trying not to dwell on her rise in emotion.

"Yes." Was all Severus said.

"Are we certain this time?" She had to ask, there had been too many near misses when it came to Voldemort.

Severus gently took his hand from hers and carefully began unbuttoning the left cuff of his frock coat and then the white cotton shirt beneath, folding back his sleeve; he held his arm out to her.

Where that vivid skull and snake had once been was now what looked like the scar left by a nasty burn. Florence stared, open mouthed, and unconsciously reached out to touch him.

Severus watched as she reached out, he felt a chill shiver down his back and let his eyes fall shut. Her finger tips were warm on skin she had never touched before and he leaned unconsciously toward her. Sighing with the unexpected pleasure, Severus realised just how strung out on emotion he was. He was sat there with her and she was alright, the dark lord was gone and her warm gentle touch threatened to unravel him completely.

The moment was broken by the sound of Madame Pomfrey and Professor Dumbledore emerging from the office.

Florence withdrew her hand and Severus pulled back from her, his face hardening as he re-buttoned his clothes without looking at her. She cursed the two people on the other side of the curtain; they deserved to be on their own. She felt raw with emotion and indescribably exhausted.

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The moon hung huge and full above the Forbidden Forest. It's light flooded the infirmary with an eerie brightness. Florence lay awake staring out the window, across the lake at the trees.

"Severus?" She whispered into the stillness of the room. "Are you awake?"

"Yes." She heard his hushed reply.

"Would…would you come and get in with me?"

There was a long silence and Florence thought for a moment that he hadn't heard her.

"You'll need to move over a bit." She jumped when he spoke in her ear and crept over to the other side of the narrow bed.

The mattress dipped as Severus got in. He turned her over and snuggled her up to his chest, pulling the covers round her shoulders and settling a comforting hand in the small of her back.

"What's wrong?" Florence rarely initiated cuddling in bed unless there was something wrong. Typically, unless he made a move, they would lie apart.

"I don't know… it's just, every time I almost go to sleep, I start to panic… I can't help thinking…" She sort of trailed off, not knowing how to explain what she was feeling.

"You have been sleeping for six weeks. I really wouldn't worry," he said, settling back and relaxing into the bed. She shut her eyes and tucked her hands round him. "Don't give it a thought… If you get bored, you can always…count my buttons." He felt her make a tiny silent chuckle, her belly moving against his. Then he let his own eyes close, blocking out the stark moonlight.

It was only a matter of minutes before he felt her drop off.

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Madam Pomfrey came out of her office and put her head round the curtains of the two beds at the back of the infirmary, seeing one bed empty and the other tightly packed with two entangled bodies. She shot Severus a warning look.

He kissed a drowsy Florence on the top of her head and eased out of bed, despite her sleepy little sounds of protest and sat in the chair next to her bed. Poppy gave him an exasperated look, before bustling away.

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Later that day, Heather burst through the infirmary doors, closely followed by Sirius. They both wore similar expressions of anxiety and expectation, which melted into relieved grins when they saw Florence sat up in bed, talking to Severus.

"Florence! You're awake," Heather rushed over to her friend and collapsed in the chair next to her bed, grasping her hand.

"Yes; it would appear that I am," Florence smiled in amusement. "It feels like I haven't seen you in ages. And you, Sirius," she directed at the man standing behind Heather's chair, distracting him from glaring at Snape, who was returning the look with relish.

"I'm glad you're alright, Florence. Though, I shouldn't have allowed you to boss me around," Sirius pressed his lips together in a self-accusing gesture.

"Yes, well, if you hadn't been there, then Florence would have gone and seen Dumbledore and wouldn't have been injured," Snape impeached spitefully and Sirius squared his shoulders, ready for a fight.

"Well, if you hadn't actually brought her to the Quidditch match – to Australia! – then she wouldn't have been in danger, would she? If you hadn't laid your slimy hands on her, then-"

"SIRIUS!" The warning from both women made Sirius stop in mid-sentence and subside in an almost-sulky silence, settling on giving Severus a malevolent glare.

"Can't you two grow up? You haven't changed at all from school!" Florence remonstrated. "You have the maturity of five-year-olds!"

"Sorry, Florence," Sirius apologised with a forced smile. He lay his hand on Heather's shoulder and she put her hand on top. Florence eyed the gesture with interest.

"Severus, you wouldn't mind fetching me a cup of tea, would you?" Florence asked nicely and Severus got up, although reluctant to leave her alone with Sirius.

Heather jumped in. "Sirius, you couldn't fetch us a tea and coffee as well, could you? I'd die for a cup!" she smiled up at him and he moved off with Snape, maintaining a large distance between them.

"So, what's going on with you and Sirius? Last time I saw you, you were getting on well, but now you seem almost as if you were serious about each other…"

"Well, we are living together!" Heather teased but stopped short when she saw the astonished expression on Florence's face. "Oh! You don't know! I did tell you while you were asleep, but I guess that doesn't count. Oh, well, I'll start from the beginning."

Florence settled herself in a comfortable position and looked at her expectantly. "You'd better make it fast; the men-folk will be back soon."

"You know we were in Australia and getting on quite well? After you were injured, Sirius stayed on in Australia for some reason," Heather shrugged, "and he came and visited me. One time, he visited me at work (who knows how he got in!) and knocked out my boss."

"What?!"

"Long story; I'll do details later. Yeah, so that got me fired. And I had all these debts that Paul left me, so he volunteered to lend me some money to pay them off – which was very nice of him." Heather's face melted into a dreamy grin that Florence recognised from school – the one that meant that Heather had got it bad! "So, I moved back to England and moved in with him while I looked for a place to stay… And that's why I'm living with him!"

"That's a very interesting story – something you can tell your and Sirius' grandchildren…"

"Yes, that's what I thought… uh-oh," Heather realised the trap that she had fallen in and desperately tried to dig up. "That is, it's an interesting story to tell anyone's grandchildren… Oh, bugger."

A smile spread across Florence's face. "You're in love with him."

"Err… no… Ok, I am. But it doesn't mean anything!" Heather squeaked.

"Well, that's strange, because I thought falling in love with someone meant a whole lot," Florence countered.

"It does," Heather admitted desolately, "but it would mean more if he felt the same."

"How do you know he doesn't? Look at the signs: he stayed around in Australia, even after the World Cup ended; defended you against your boss; helped you when you were in trouble; offered to let you move in with him… There's a lot there and you say you haven't even told me the details."

"You think he does?" Heather looked slightly anxious and Florence didn't want to disappoint her.

"I don't know if he loves you yet – or if he does, he doesn't know it, but I know for sure that he has feelings for you…" Hearing footsteps nearing the curtain, Florence quickly changed the subject. "And that's why you should use Powdered Milroot instead of the liquidised stuff, ok?"

Heather nodded with a grin just as the curtains were pushed aside.

Sirius entered grumpily, holding two cups of steaming liquid; Snape was on his heels. Severus sat down on his chair, which, to Heather, looked as if it now had the permanent imprint of his shape. Heather hoped things would turn out all right for her friend and Snape; she was obviously in love with him again.

Accepting the coffee from Sirius, she looked up at him with a smile, to see him grinning mischievously at her. She checked her coffee for small fireworks before taking a careful sip.

"Ok?" he asked, causing her to feel suspicious again.

"Yes…"

"Good. So, what have you been talking about?" Sirius asked curiously.

"Err…" Heather sent a panicked look at Florence that Sirius witnessed with amusement. "Err… Well… Girl stuff!" she finished with an audible sigh and Florence shook her head reproachfully. Severus observed the byplay with a mixture of boredom and annoyance.

"Girl stuff, eh?" Sirius was now in no doubt that they had been talking about him. "I don't think I've ever been included in that category before."

"I don't know what you mean," Heather said innocently but Sirius still grinned knowingly at her, despite leaving the subject alone for the moment.

Heather looked at her watch and up at Florence. "Err… it's time we were going – I have a few errands to do and I thought I'd pop in and see Bran while I was here… Is he in, Severus?" Heather addressed him for the first day and he looked a little surprised. Sirius' expression resumed its originally grumpy status.

"I believe so," Severus said reluctantly.

"I don't think we have time to see Branson, Heather. We really have to go…" Sirius grumbled.

"Nonsense! I'll make time!" Heather kissed Florence on the cheek and stood up, straightening her robes. "Stop complaining, Sirius – I'll only be a minute. In fact, you can go on ahead; I'll be home soon."

"What? And leave you alone with that snake? I think not."

Heather smiled slightly in amusement. "Oh, I almost forgot, here you go," she handed Florence a book, "I assumed you'd have to stay here a while longer and it's always boring, so I brought you a book."

"Thank you." Florence looked at the cover to a book entitled '107 ways to boil cabbage'.

"Don't worry, it's not about the title," Heather assured.

"That's encouraging."

"Ok, then. See you later, Florence!"

"Bye!" Florence called and grinned at Severus, who was rolling his eyes in infuriation. She could hear Sirius muttering something about all Slytherins being the same, as he and Heather left the infirmary.

Florence turned back to Severus. "Cheer up" she offered, "Only two more days in the infirmary!"

Severus' scowl darkened.

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Florence heard the matron leave and snuck out of bed, being careful not to let the mattress creak as she wanted to surprise Severus.

"You'll need to do better than that." A whisper made her sigh and huff.

"You could at least let me try and make you jump," she grumbled.

Severus edged across his bed and lifted the covers for her.

She snuggled down next to him and he stared at her for what felt like an age. Starting to feel disconcerted, Florence shifted under his gaze. "What?" She reached up and pushed his hair over his shoulder, touching his neck.

"I don't think it's really sunk in yet. That you're alright, I mean."

She pushed him back, so he had to lie down, and put her head on his chest. "It's all alright," she whispered to him. "I promise."

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"Hey, Cavell! Is that how you get girlfriends now? Sharing with your mates?" Greg Reilly let out a malevolent laugh.

Caleb and Maggie turned round from where they were well into a conversation in the corridor and gave Greg identical scowls – Maggie didn't know why on earth she had ever fancied that bucket of guts!

"I wonder… do you share everything with Ivander?" Greg continued nastily.

"Shut up, Reilly!" Caleb stood his ground, his hand fumbling in his pocket for his wand. "At least I can get girlfriends, which is more than I can say for your ugly mug!"

Reilly just laughed again, not obviously bothered by Caleb's retort. "Well done, Cavell. I think you've achieved the most stupid insult ever!"

"Come on, then. Give me your best shot!" Caleb swished his wand out of his pocket and pointed it straight at Greg's laughing face. Maggie put her hand on his shoulder warningly to tell him to calm down but he shrugged it off.

"You're so lame, Gryffindork! But, I'll take your challenge," Greg said, grinning at his mates over his shoulder. "Ready?"

"Rea-"

"Grandiauris!" Reilly cast lazily.

Caleb racked his brains for a retort. "Spiritualium!"

Reilly laughed, "Is that the best you can do, Cavell?" He looked around to see his mates coughing.

"You'll see, Slytherunt." Caleb grinned.

"By Merlin, Reilly, your breath stinks!" Rosier managed from one of his friend's sides. "Lay off the garlic!"

Reilly scowled. "Come on, you idiots. We'll leave the Gryffindork with his new, and very attractive, assets."

His friends nodded and followed him down the corridor. Caleb heard one of them say, "just stop talking, Reilly. At least until you've brushed your teeth – it's gross!"

Caleb laughed at their retreating backs. He did a little victory dance – "I rule, they suck!"

"Oi! Maggie, don't I rock?" He turned towards her and stopped at the shocked look on her face.

Maggie gasped, her hand covering her open mouth. "Oh, my God!"

"What? What's wrong?" Caleb frowned, looking slightly annoyed; after all, he had just repelled Reilly and deserved a little admiration.

"Your…" Maggie faltered and Caleb's expression was stormy.

"Will you stop shouting at me, please? It's hard enough deciphering what you're saying when you're speaking normally."

"Well!" It was her turn to frown. "Be like that! Have your ears five times their normal size, if you want to be a… a freak! And I'll have you know that I was speaking normally!"

"What on earth are you talking about?" Caleb patted his face but, when he reached the side of his head, he paled slightly. "What…? That damn Slytherin scum! I'm gonna get him…"

"Mr Cavell, what in Merlin's name has happened here?" A squeaky voice from behind him made him turn around…and look down.

"Uh-oh. Professor Flitwick! Nothing's happened." Caleb smiled, trying to hide his huge ears under his floppy hair.

"Then why, my dear boy, are your ears bigger than your head?"

"Err… It's hereditary, sir. You see, after our 14th birthdays, my family's features start to grow more rapidly…" Caleb trailed off under the stony gaze of his Charms professor. "You should see my dad!" he finished feebly.

Flitwick frowned. "Are you just saying that to hide the fact that you were duelling in the corridor?"

"Duelling? Me?" Caleb tried to look as innocent as possible and Maggie snorted next to him. "I don't know how to cast the spells we learn in class, let alone learn new duelling ones!"

"Well, that's true." Flitwick admitted and Caleb's face dropped. "Even so, I think you should go up the Hospital Wing and get those checked out. You look like an African Elephant. Go now."

Caleb, mouth wide open in insulted surprise, took his advice, with Maggie following behind at close quarters.

His voice could be heard yelling down the corridor, "What got his goat?"

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Caleb sat open-mouthed in his hospital bed.

"Trying to catch flies, Mr Cavell?"

Caleb abruptly shut his mouth and Professor Findal disappeared into the bathroom. He blinked a few times and then became aware that Madam Pomfrey was approaching.

"Here you are, dear." She handed him a goblet full of something disconcertingly pink. "This should set you right again."

Caleb screwed his nose up at the smell, but sipped it anyway.

"When you've drank all of it, you can go. But don't even think about trying to get out of it or your ears will grow again."

Caleb sighed and shuddered as he tried to drink some more of the foul, iridescent liquid. Madam Pomfrey bustled away and Professor Findal walked back across the infirmary and went behind a curtain. Caleb stared after her for some time but, when he eventually turned away from the now still curtain, he was presented with the sight of Jack and Maggie looking timidly around the infirmary door. Caleb beckoned them in. "Guess who I just saw?" he said enthusiastically.

"Um…" Jack tried to think of something witty… "Sean Connery?" and failed.

"Eh?" Caleb frowned in confusion as Maggie laughed.

"Don't tell me you're a Bond fanatic?!" she asked, grinning insanely.

Jack toed the floor, blushing. "Uh… no! I don't know what you're talking about! Bond…? Who's Bond?" he squeaked unconvincingly and Maggie raised one eyebrow sceptically.

"Oh, really…"

"HEY! Let's get back to who I saw!" Caleb sat up in bed, waving his arms crazily.

"Ok, Cavell. Who'd you see?"

"Professor Findal!"

"Oh, big deal! I thought you meant someone that doesn't live here… you know, like… Sean Connery, for example." Maggie teased.

"But she's supposed to be on holiday! Professor Leggett said so!"

"And you believe everything that Irish dandy says?" Jack said doubtfully.

Maggie put her hands on her hips. "But he's so nice! He wouldn't lie, would he?"

"Oh, yeah? He is a Slytherin!" Jack announced triumphantly, as though proving his point.

Maggie gawped at him. "How do you know that? Anyway, Professor Findal could be taking a holiday… in the hospital wing!"

"And how likely is that…?"

"YOU'RE MEANT TO BE VISITING ME! And I'm telling you, I saw her!"

Jack turned to his friend. "Are you sure you haven't been daydreaming again?"

Caleb frowned. "If you don't believe me, go look behind that curtain. Go on, I dare you!"

"I don't want to look behind any curtains… There could be something gross there, like a naked Snape!"

"Ewwww…" Maggie agreed.

"But she's ill…! And she is so behind that curtain!" Caleb affirmed. "And you're a big, fat chicken."

"I am not!" Jack thundered. "I'll go look but SHE. IS. NOT. THERE."

"I think both of you are fools." Maggie crossed her arms.

"Oh, shut up." Caleb growled. "You. Go look behind that curtain, if you're not afraid."

"Ok, then." Jack moved towards the curtain and…

Madam Pomfrey started round the corner. "What are you doing?"

"Oh…" Jack gulped. "Just checking what sort of fabric this curtain is. Maggie said she was sure it was cotton…" He sent a pleading look her way.

Caleb shrugged. "Don't ask us. He's always been weird."

"Caleb…" Jack hissed.

Maggie took a deep breath. "He's right, Madam. I really did think they were cotton." She shrugged nonchalantly. "Silly me."

"Hmmm…" Madam Pomfrey was doubtful. "Well, if you've finished talking to Mr Cavell, I think it's time you went back to your common room."

"Yes, Madam Pomfrey," Maggie agreed angelically.

Jack nodded shortly, before sending an angry look at his friend. "I'll see you later."

Caleb gulped.

"Did you see that? I walked to the bathroom, all on my own?" Florence settled herself on the edge of her bed and smiled at Severus. He was dressed and looked ready to leave. Florence doubted that he would make it as far as the corner of the bed before alarm klaxons were ringing in Madam Pomfrey's office. He did appear to be staying though, to Florence's relief; she didn't think she could stand three days in the infirmary on her own with nothing to do.

"And quite the stir you've caused by doing so," Severus noticed, as there were raised voices outside their cubicle.

"Well, what did you expect? My number-two fan is out there!" She grinned at him.

Severus' mouth twitched with what could only be annoyance, and a hint of a little else.

"What?" Florence prompted, after she had woken up, she wanted to know more of his feelings.

"What's what?" Severus attempted to evade.

"You. That was jealousy. What of?"

Severus stood up and crossed to where she was sat, standing in front of her, his head just able to rest on the top of hers.

"Out with it! Or I'll wheedle." Florence threatened.

Severus kissed the top of her head and she put her arms round him. "Cavell just got to see you bare foot and wearing… well, that. I had rather hoped that was just for me."

Florence squeezed him round the waist, putting her hands inside his cloak, wishing he hadn't made her promise not to reveal her feelings.

Things would be a lot better tomorrow, when they didn't have to be cooped up in the infirmary anymore, perhaps they could really get things out in the open.

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Florence sighed. It would be nice to be back in her own bed, A double bed (well, more like king-size actually) that two people would fit in, and no Madam Pomfrey to catch them still in bed together in the morning and scowl disapprovingly.

Much to her annoyance, Severus was still hovering round her as though he was expecting her to collapse some-when in the next minute. Poppy had successfully rebuilt up her muscles and said that there was no residual effect from the 'coma'; she just needed to take things easy for a while because she would tire quickly.

Florence hoped that he wasn't going to be like this tomorrow. She was going to teach some classes, taking some of the workload back off of Branson, and ease herself back into working again. So that evening she set about devising a selection of lesson plans based on what Branson had told her the children had already covered.

Crawling into bed that night, Florence sidled up close to Severus. "It's nice not to have to worry about 5am." She yawned.

Severus nodded, knowing what she meant; the matron's early start had made sharing a bed difficult. Turning to look at her and drawing her into an embrace, he murmured, "I missed you."

Florence felt her eyes fill up unexpectedly. She hadn't realised she was that emotional. She blinked and they were gone as fast as they had appeared.

Tilting her head upward she kissed him, unhurriedly. Severus returned it, a long, slow, thorough kiss, leaving her dazed and aroused.

Florence leant back from him, her hand sliding from his shoulder to thoughtfully undo a button of his nightshirt. Severus caught her hand in his and took it away, redirecting both their hands to her side. He leant his head down and Florence braced herself, anticipating those lovely warm kisses on her neck.

When they didn't come, she turned to him expectantly. Severus nudged his face into the pillow and yawned sleepily, his hand leaving hers and clutching at her side. Florence raised a confused eyebrow, unseen in the darkness.

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The staff room was quite empty, considering it was almost lunchtime, and Professors McGonagall and Sinistra were taking advantage of it.

Sinistra leaned back in her chair with a sigh, warming her hands on her over-large cup of tea. She placed her rather crooked maroon boots on the table in front of her and wiggled her toes.

Minerva McGonagall smiled. "Rough morning, Helen?"

Helen Sinistra rolled her eyes. "Rough is a severe understatement. I've just had two lots of Gryffindors and Slytherins in a row and my nerves are stretched to breaking point! It's amazing how many horrible acts that children can inflict on each other with star charts!"

Minerva clucked her tongue sympathetically.

"How's your morning been?"

"Oh, not too bad. A couple of patchwork cushions scuttled about on six legs and nearly frightened some poor Ravenclaw girls to death. Sometimes, I think Caleb Cavell does it on purpose…"

Helen chuckled.

A quiet knock on the door interrupted their conversation.

"Come in!" Minerva raised her voice and a small blonde head peered around the door.

"Excuse me, Professor McGonagall, but have you seen Professor Leggett anywhere? I wanted to ask him some questions on my homework essay."

"I'm sorry, Miss Weaver, but I haven't. I will tell him you were looking for him."

The little girl looked disappointed. "Thank you, Professor," she said timidly, before disappearing.

Sinistra shrugged and took another sip of her tea.

Frowning, Minerva said, "Where can that Branson Leggett be? He never shows his face around here, except for at evening meal. There never was such an absent-minded professor. He asked us to leave the Boggart in the cupboard two weeks ago for one of his classes and he still hasn't gotten rid of it! Every time I try and put my cloak inside of it, I get set upon by the most enormous…" Minerva stopped, reluctant to divulge her greatest fear.

Helen smiled. "I don't think you're right, Minerva. Perhaps he has a lady-friend..."

"Well, that's worse! Giving up his responsibilities at a drop of a hat to chase after some… witch with more robes than brains!"

Sinistra chuckled. "I don't think our Bran would go after someone like that; it would take quite a woman to get him interested. Someone clever, pretty and someone who shares the same interests…"

"If I didn't know any better, I would think that you were in love with him!" Minerva sniffed disapprovingly.

"Well, he is quite dishy and with that Irish accent…" Helen sighed. "No woman in her right mind would say no to him, if he cast his eyes her way."

Unbeknownst to them, Severus shifted in his seat at the back of the room and scowled at his forgotten book.

"In that case, I plead insanity," argued Minerva stubbornly and Helen smiled.

"Each to their own. Personally, if I was 10 years younger, I would-"

Severus couldn't help himself; he cleared his throat loudly, causing Helen to blush. Minerva cast her an amused glance.

"Severus! We didn't notice you were back there. Would you like to join the conversation?" Minerva asked.

"I think not," he answered shortly.

"Oh, don't tell me you haven't got a crush on Bran either? What is this world coming to?" Helen sighed comically, causing Minerva to snort.

Severus rolled his eyes.

The door opened and Branson ambled in. "Is anyone available to give me a hand?" he said with a grin and gestured to the wardrobe. Helen Sinistra flushed slightly and Minerva sent the younger man a disapproving glance.

"Do try to contain yourselves." Severus said dryly, as he rose from his seat to leave.

Branson looked around in confusion.

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Branson perched himself on the end of the desk and gave Florence an encouraging smile.

"Are you ready for this?" he asked jokingly. "I know I'm certainly ready to give up half the responsibility and gain more free time."

Florence grinned. "Somehow, I think you're getting the better half of the deal."

Branson shrugged. "I don't know. You're getting the chance to get stuck in with teenage hormones and machismo… ah, I see what you mean!"

The two professors laughed.

Caleb faltered at the door of the classroom, his eyes widening. Turning to Jack, he whispered, "You see her too, right?"

"Yesss…" Jack shook his head in annoyance. "You really are a numbskull."

"Are we going in or are we just going to stand in the corridor like ninnies?" Maggie's voice floated from behind them and the two boys rolled their eyes.

"We're gonna stand in the corridor," they voiced in unison.

"You only want to go in there 'cos you're boyfriend's gonna be there," Caleb teased.

Maggie and Jack looked at him with similar 'duh' expressions. "Of course Jack's gonna be in there; he's here with us now though, isn't he?" Maggie said exasperatedly and Caleb blushed.

"I meant Professor Leggett – the Irish Inferno of Sexual Tension…" Caleb grinned.

"Well, thank you, Mr Cavell. I never knew you felt that way. It's certainly a boost to my ego," Branson's voice drifted from the front of the classroom and Caleb's face froze.

"You really worry me sometimes," Jack declared before pushing past him.

Caleb followed, his head down, his gaze on the tips of his shoes. "Sorry, Professor."

Branson directed a grin at Florence, who was trying to suppress her laughter.

After waiting until the rest of the class had arrived, Branson settled himself back on the desk.

"Now, you know Professor Findal had a short holiday…?" he began.

"In the hospital wing," Caleb hissed at Jack, who rolled his eyes.

"…Well, she wants a chance to settle back in gently. So, for a couple of weeks or so, we're going to split your classes between teachers. You'll have me on Mondays, Professor Findal on Tuesdays, and we'll alternate on Fridays," Branson finished with a smile.

There was a general murmur among the students.

"Oh, and, as today is Tuesday, I'm going to leave you with Professor Findal and go and put my feet up in the staff room with a cup of coffee." He gathered up his belongings and, with a whispered 'good luck' to Florence, he left the room.

"Bad luck, Cavell. Your lover won't be teaching today." Jack grinned.

"Oh, shut up!"

Florence took up Branson's position, perching on the edge of the desk. "Now, what have you done while I was away?"

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Cosmo picked up a Mooncalf eye and looked at it consideringly. "Why on earth do we have to use these things? You think they would come up with a substitute. You know, like synthetic eyes or something…" He squeezed it slightly, making all the juices inside squeak.

"Cosmo, that's so gross! Put it down!" Sarah Langly screeched from the left and Cosmo sniggered before squishing it some more.

"If you would like to stay behind after class, Mr Burns, then, by all means, keep up what you are doing," Snape suggested snidely and Cosmo, not prepared for the Potions Master's sudden appearance squished the eyeball too hard, causing it to burst and explode all over.

"Oops," he exclaimed feebly, before lifting his sheepish gaze up to Snape.

"5 points from Hufflepuff and stay behind to clean that… mess up."

"You are such a klutz, Cosmo," Alex guffawed from his right and Cosmo gave him a glare.

"Hey! Whose side are you on?"

"Yours obviously. Snape needs to extract the Quidditch goalpost that's shoved up his-"

"Another 10 points from Hufflepuff and you can stay behind and help your friend clear up." Snape called from the other side of the classroom.

"He's a mutant – he has the ears of a bat! Oh, well. At least I get some company," Cosmo tried to look on the bright side as Alex directed evil looks at Snape's back. "Be careful! I've heard he's got eyes in the back of his head. His hair covers it all up!"

Alex gave him a sceptical look. "And next you'll be telling me that his loose robes hide huge wings so that he can float through the windows of our dormitory and remove house points while we sleep!"

"Snape has wings?" Cosmo looked quite worried and Alex rolled his eyes. "Then he's like an evil version of the Tooth Fairy!" He shuddered. "He's, like, the House Point Fairy!"

"You are such a dufus. Hey, we're supposed to add a Mooncalf eye about now… and you burst it!"

"Do you think we can scoop some of it off of the floor?" Cosmo looked musingly at the remains of the exploded eyeball.

"It's worth a shot. Go on, then."

Cosmo fixed Alex with a baleful stare before ducking under the table and scooping some into the palm of his hand.

"I thought I told you to clean that up after class. 5 points from Hufflepuff," Snape snarled before circling the class again.

"What is going on?" Cosmo complained after he had risen from the floor and deposited the squishy mess into the cauldron. "Is he attracted to us or something? He won't leave us alone!"

"Ugh! Perish the thought! Yuk!" Alex wrinkled his face up in disgust so much that he looked almost like an old man.

Cosmo sniggered. "Hey, do you suppose Professor Findal is making Snape grumpy?"

"What do you mean? He's always this grumpy! He's probably grumpy because he has to come back and teach us instead of letting that funny lady do it. She was great."

"Yeah – she made my hair bright green for about a week! That was so cool!" Cosmo grinned.

"I wish Snape hadn't come back…"

"Don't you think it's funny that both Snape and Professor Findal were off work at the same time?"

Alex pursed his lips. "Oh! I didn't notice that! Cosmo, I do believe we have some gossip for Owen Cauldwell to bargain with us for. Do you think he'd get us some sweets from Honeydukes the next time he goes to Hogsmeade?"

"Oh, ace! That would rule!"

Snape dismissed the class with an uncaring wave of his hand, stopping students to take house points away when they took too long to pack their belongings away, or they moved too quickly towards the door. Which left Cosmo and Alex to clear up their mess, not caring anymore, because they thought they knew something no one else did!

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"So… How did it go?" Branson asked as he loaded profuse amounts of sugar into his teacup, much to Florence's horror.

"Fine, actually… how was your frightfully relaxing day?" Florence sat back in her chair.

Branson had been using her office for a while and they sat inside on two newly transfigured armchairs. Professor Dumbledore had 'made' Branson an office of his own on the other side of the classroom that morning, but he hadn't quite moved in yet.

"Well, I marked some work. That was an experience." The other professor informed her, nodding earnestly.

Florence couldn't suppress a grin.

"And I got a chance to catch up with Hagrid and have a little trip into Hogsmeade."

"It's alright for some." Florence swigged at her tea, really needing it after her afternoon in the classroom.

"What are you talking about…? You got to sleep for six weeks while I had to deal with this rabble all on my own." He put on a face of mock dejection.

"Ok, you win this time." she conceded.

"So… Severus tells me you two were together in school…" Branson probed as if from nowhere, much to Florence's surprise.

"He told you that?" She was shocked. This was not the same man she knew.

"You mean in the sense of actually volunteering the information himself and speaking the words…? Then no… but I did hear that."

"Then you have excellent hearing, Professor; I won't send you to Poppy."

Branson smiled, despite getting the clear impression that she didn't want to talk about it and being a little disappointed. "You have a very exciting weapons collection." He rapidly changed the subject, not wanting to ruin what had so far been a very nice chat.

"You noticed?" She beamed around at the assortment of old, and not so old, axes, swards and longbows that were hung around her office. She had been acquiring them for some time and, when she had been given the job at Hogwarts, she had thought this the ideal place to display them.

"How could I not?" He chuckled. "Ya know, not many wizards have weaponry like this; it's all very interesting."

"There's a part of me that feels safer with a big axe than with the little twig that is my wand." Florence admitted. "But I still wouldn't be without my wand, and am all too aware how impractical a longbow would actually be in any kind of wizarding war." She smiled at the ridiculousness of such a thought. "I suppose it's my muggle background. I always thought self-defence was a good hard punch in the nose, not a well timed 'stupefy'."

Branson smiled. "I'm sure both are effective."

"Oh, they are," she assured him, finishing her tea and setting the cup down on its saucer with a clatter.

"I'll let you go… I have someone that I need to visit, but I'm sure Severus will want to know how your day went." Branson stood, gathering up the cups.

"You're probably right, if I'm any later he'll be sending a search party to look for my half-eaten remains." she joked.

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Florence's rooms were warm and cosy. Severus sat at her desk writing theory for a Potions paper and Florence led on the bed reading the book Heather had brought. Dinner had been particularly good that evening; roast beef had been on the menu. It had filled her with that lovely sense of contentment that was provoked by a good meal.

After an hour of switching positions to guard against dead limbs, Florence decided that a bath might prove enjoyable. Rising from her spot on the bed, she stretched and went in the bathroom. Severus glanced up at her as she disappeared.

A deep bath was as heavenly as expected, although a great majority of it was spent wondering if Severus might interrupt. He didn't. Florence padded out of the bathroom to find Severus still pouring over parchments, though his tunic had now been discarded in favour of sitting in just his shirt, the cuffs of his long sleeves turned up so as not to get ink splodges on them

"How much longer do you need to be?" she asked, wondering if she should go back to reading or whether attention might be forthcoming.

"I could go on indefinitely." Severus informed her.

Florence thought about this (and several humorous and suggestive retorts that Severus would likely scowl about). "Would it be possible to wind it up…? I want attention." She sat on the edge of the bed, considering her toes.

"Twenty minutes?"

"Oh… Fine!" Florence hadn't expected that. "I just meant tonight as a whole."

"I have no intention of working all night." He smiled slightly.

Florence felt a surge of smiley feelings wash through her, led back against the pillows and shut her eyes for a few minutes.

Severus put his quill down and the top back on his inkpot, laying out his parchments methodically across the desktop to dry. Taking his pocket watch from his tunic that lay over the high back of the chair, he noted the time was still reasonable, only nine-thirty.

He got up and looked at Florence lying out on the bed, snoozing, no-doubt unintentionally. He lay down next to her, careful not to wake her and sidled as close as he could.

"I'm not asleep," she mumbled drowsily into the pillow, languidly lifting her head.

"No?" Severus arched an eyebrow.

Florence directed a stern look his way. "No…! Just checking my eyelids for holes," she corrected.

"So that's what that's called." Severus smiled and put his arm round her, pulling her onto his chest. Florence smiled dreamily, settling her face in the crook of his neck.

She really had only been snoozing because she was soon wide-awake again, propped up on her elbow and making enquiries. "What are you working on?"

"The potion I adapted for you." Severus informed her, his elegant fingers paying great attention to her ear lobe, and the surrounding skin.

Florence nodded thoughtfully, although she was rapidly losing interest.

Severus tried to remember what he had just said, her soft skin and presence above him ample distraction from any kind of conversation, the room or just life in general. He watched, mesmerised, as her eyes closed and she leaned into his touch. She squirmed, awakening him in another whole range of ways. His other hand wandered unconsciously down her back, holding her very securely against him.She wriggled some more, nestling him between her warm thighs. Then, Florence bowed her head, her mouth covering his, banishing all thoughts for now.

When Severus broke the kiss he was gasping for breath, bewildered by the whirlwind rush of hormones and emotion. She was smiling, her eyes bright and shimmering with passion.

Florence persisted, while he was willing, enveloping his lips with hers again and kissing him with all that she was feeling.

The annoyed voice in the back of his head was being quite effectively beaten into submission by the alarming rush of impulses she had tapped into. He drank her in, one of his hands burying itself in her hair, his fingers kneading against her scalp, all the emotion of getting her back washing over him as he plunged head long into something he wasn't certain was right.

Florence moaned as she found herself being rolled backward and thoroughly kissed. She bought her arms up to link them round his neck, desirously arching her body up to his.

Severus hands, now on her hips, got half way up her sides, just about to graze the swell of her breasts, before he could go no further. He disrupted their kiss, rolling back off her, fighting for oxygen. Rubbing his face with one hand, he sighed.

"What's the matter?" Florence said, quite frankly.

"We can't, it's not right."

"You said…" Florence screwed her face up in confusion, "you told me that…" She didn't want to risk it not being true, the whole world would just fall away. "You said that you love me." The air in the room seemed to stop.

"I do. I love you." He looked in so much turmoil that it was all she could do not to offer comfort.

"Well, how is that not right? I… I don't know if I'm just being strange, or if it's a girl thing, or… I just feel like I need to consummate that." She looked at her bare feet that protruded from the bottom of her robe; she should probably cut her toenails.

Severus sighed. "I can't."

"Can't can't or won't can't?"

"Both."

Florence felt his eyes on her. "Can't can't is worrying… and won't can't is worse," she mumbled. "I don't understand. Why can't we? There's nothing wrong with me." She was fully recovered from the encounter with Voldemort. "Is there?" Her mind started working over time, "Or is there something wrong with you?" Her face became all sympathy, then a brief flicker of horror that Severus wished he hadn't seen.

"I'm just taking advantage," he stated, getting up from the bed and picking up his cloak.

"No!" Florence yelped. "Don't you dare go! You'll stay and you'll explain." She was now off of bed and between him and the door, with no recollection of how she got there.

"You think you love me," he spat angrily and went to walk past her.

Florence took hold of him. "Did it ever occur to you that it might be true? That I do know my own mind?"

"You don't know me, the things I've done." All the anger gone now, he was just lost and helpless.

"You think I don't know? Of course, I know. I worked for this side; I read the reports; I know the things that went on; I've studied all the dark magics. I brought in the people who did them. Don't think that my mind hasn't been doing overtime imagining that you have done all those things. That you are everything I hate and everything I fought against." Florence had him by the shoulders but he wouldn't look at her.

"You don't know," he breathed, almost a whisper.

"Then you have to tell me, because right now I want to be allowed to love you so badly that it might be worth the risk." She tried to make him look at her; he just kept trying to back away. "Please," Florence whispered.

Severus could tell that he was on the verge on being hugged and didn't want to risk it. He stepped back out of her grip but didn't try to go any further, letting her know that he wouldn't try to leave.

Florence put her arms down, letting them fall to her sides, but then she didn't really know what to do with them and started wringing her hands.

Severus sighed deeply. He appeared so infinitely different than he had moments before, he looked worn and distraught as rubbed his face with his hands again and crossed the room to sit, frustratedly pushing his hair out of his face, spreading his legs and resting his elbows on his knees, his hands hanging limply between as he stared at the floor.

Florence padded as softly as she could across the carpet to join him, sitting in the chair opposite, not quite sure where to look, an odd sense of foreboding provoking her to pick restlessly at the seam running the length of her bed robe. The strange lingering quiet going on for far too long (she couldn't help the stray thought that perhaps it would have been better to just go to bed and go to sleep, letting Severus work late on his paper, but what good would it have done in the end?) even some sort of random vowel sound would have been an improvement on the stagnancy of the silence. Florence wished he'd say something, anything; the slow descent into panic wasn't enjoyable.

"Severus… We don't have to do this now." Florence couldn't take the strain any longer.

He looked up as though surfacing from some deep reverie and slid from his seat, kneeling in front of her, his hands on the arms of her chair. "You don't understand." He looked at her lap, wanting nothing more than to just burry his face in the skirt of her nightgown and feel her touch on his shoulders; why did he have to be so stupid? "It has to be done… it might as well be now. The longer I don't, the worse it gets and the worse I feel."

"You must know how I'm feeling." Florence leant forward, increasing their closeness. "I know what went on, even if you refuse to believe that; I know because it happened to me, I really don't think you can surp-"

"Don't."

Florence was cut short. All that distress on his face, this really wasn't good. She wanted to be able to tell him it didn't matter, that she didn't care, that it was all gone and never happened. But she couldn't and never would be able to. She nodded so he knew she wouldn't interrupt.

Severus felt sick to his stomach; he was seriously regretting having eaten. How was anyone supposed to do this? She would get that look on her face; he'd hurt her and he'd just want to die. He just wanted to die.

"I wasn't just another Death Eater. I was in the thick of it: inner circle material." He spoke fast like he was tearing off a plaster. "Towards the end I was in charge of interrogations, you wouldn't believe the things I made people say-"

Florence watched him pour himself out to her. Part of her wished he'd stop, didn't ever really want to admit that he'd done it, that he was capable, another tiny part felt fierce pride that he, so private and guarded, could be so open with her.

"Do you remember the story of Erwin Dinsdale? that was me. I _did_ that." Severus paused, his right hand fiddling with a thread hanging from her chair's upholstery. "He was brilliant and I destroyed it. They said I was brilliant; I wasn't, just unhinged and brutal. I had my own cell…" His eyes glazed over as he stared unseeing at his restless fingers. "Merlin, I'm so sorry. They were my responsibility, and I told them to have some fun. I didn't know what they were planning. I should have checked; I had always known where they were, I was so stupid."

"Severus, I don't understand."

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry I didn't save them for you, that I didn't stop it, that I can't get them back." He watched her blink as it slowly occurred to her what he was saying. There was a long horrible silence.

"You mean…?"

"That was the night I left. I went to the headmaster, I don't know what had happened to me."

"Do… Do you know what they did?" Her eyes were big and she was staring fixedly at him.

Severus didn't really understand. "Flo?"

"Do you… do you know what they did to my Mum and Dad… and my baby brother…? How did they die?"

She was shivering as she bit into her bottom lip and it was all Severus could do not to stop her.

"I… I never knew."

He'd never really heard her mention them before. It felt like the world was spinning out of control.

"Severus…Severus if you know, then tell me."

"I don't, at least not for certain. I could only speculate."

"Then speculate."

"Flo, I really don't know for definite."

"Please."

Severus shut his eyes, fighting nausea. He sat back on his heels, sighing thoughtfully. "They had girls, Muggles, with them after. They were having a party; they can't have exhausted themselves too much. I'd assume that it was quick… They were probably hoping for you." His eyes still closed, Severus covered his mouth with his hand, his barely discernible sways back and forth matching his breathing.

"Who?" She whispered.

His eyes snapped open; her responses were nothing like he'd ever thought.

"I want to know who did it."

She was so calm. "Are you sure you-"

"Just tell me."  
He sighed, propping his head up with his hand. "Titus Travers, Igor Karkaroff, Evan Rosier and Antonin Dolohov."

Florence really shivered. Severus reached out to touch her arm, she didn't flinch. "Can I…? Can… would you go?" She pushed her chair back, ruckling the hearthrug. "I just need some time." She nodded, her green eyes big and Severus took his hand away and got shakily to his feet.

He wanted to know how long 'time' was, but he couldn't ask. Perhaps there was no answer, just another life maybe.

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A/N: 

Hello.

Thanks to:

**Becki**: It's good to know that you're back. Thanks for being our 100th reviewer! Can't wait until your new story comes out.

And also **Tegan****, Starlight **and **Hopeful Writer**.

Hope you enjoy the chapter (only two more to go). There will eventually be a happy ending, if Martha doesn't kill them both in the sequel!

 Love

Martha and Squirrel.

xxx.


	27. Wednesday's Children

Chapter 28: Wednesday's Children

Disclaimer: We don't own the characters, places or anything recognisable from the Harry Potter Books 'cause they belong to J. K. Rowling. We write only for our own pleasure and make nothing from it. 

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Severus felt his knees bend and he slid slowly down her closed door until he was sat on the cold stone floor of the corridor. Rubbing his hands over his face, he knew without a shadow of a doubt that he had spent his last moment behind that door. 

He forced himself to stand and make an effort at composure when the sound of footsteps rounded the corner. 

He didn't quite manage it and was found by Branson Leggett, propped against the wall with one hand and the other still over his face. 

"Severus?" Branson stopped in his tracks. 

Snape drew himself up, taking a deep breath, and headed down the corridor as though he hadn't heard. 

The Irishman cleared his throat and called after him. "I don't suppose you like to join me for some tea?" 

Severus stopped this time and turned round, his face set in his most unpleasant expression. "No. Unlike _some_ people, I have work to do," he disparaged, whipping round to continue dramatically down the corridor. 

"Really, Severus, I insist." Leggett's Irish burr made it almost impossible for him to achieve the austere tone he was going for. Nonetheless, it did provoke a reaction from Severus. 

"Tell me, _Branson_, what is your problem?"

Branson would never cease to be amazed by Snape's talent to make even a person's name into a vicious insult. "I don't appear to be the one with a problem," he said as nicely as possible. 

"You may be under the false impression that you have some great power, with which you can simply invite me for tea and miraculously cure my every ill. Well, I'm deeply sorry to burst your bubble, but you are wrong." 

Branson was extremely grateful he had run into Snape in the teachers' part of the school; this was not exchange he would have wanted the pupils privy to. He was now certain that something was wrong and, having found him outside Professor Findal's rooms, he had no doubt this was something to do with their relationship and Severus felt it was his fault. "I never said it would 'cure your every ill', Severus, but it's a start."

"Do not pester me with your friendly gestures. I'll be fine, much to everyone's great annoyance." 

Severus made to move off again but Branson got in before he could. "You can come for tea now, which will take half an hour at the very most, or I can 'pester' you to join me every day until Christmas, no matter how many times you accept." 

Severus swivelled round and fixed Branson with a glare.

"I mean it," the younger professor fought not to smile, knowing that he was close to winning.

Heaving an exasperated sigh, Severus reluctantly followed Branson to his rooms down the hall.

~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~

"Sugar?" Branson waved his hand enquiringly over the sugar pot and made to put some spoonfuls in Severus' tea. The older man picked his teacup up abruptly to avoid sweetening.

Branson shrugged and added copious amounts of sugar to his nearly overflowing cup, adding milk and stirring it deftly. He took a sip and grimaced at the taste.

Severus raised one dubious eyebrow and Branson grinned.

"I don't like tea, so I try and make it taste as much not like tea as possible. I do so wish that the house elves would stock more coffee," he sighed. "So, are you going to tell me what happened between you and Florence?"

Severus remained silent, sipping occasionally at his tea.

Branson grimaced again with the next sip of his drink, and also with guilt at his tactlessness. "Err… is your tea ok?"

Severus gave him a sceptical look. "It's fine. The sooner we get this over and done with, the better." With that thought in mind, he drained his teacup and set it down with a crash, enough to make Branson wince.

Standing up, he made for the door. "I believe I've fulfilled my promise," he said stiffly, with his hand on the door handle. "I propose you don't bother me again."

"She knows," Branson whispered with a sudden spark of insight. It was enough to make Snape stiffen in annoyance. "You told her?"

"Told her what, _Branson_? Is your overactive imagination yet again having a field day? Because, if it is, I suggest that you keep it reined in and mind your own business."

"Severus… she did know you were a Death Eater, didn't she?" Branson asked tentatively.

"I think that is the most stupid thing you've said all day, which is an accomplishment considering you say something stupid every time you open your mouth. Living around here for over a year, how could she not know?"

"Good point." Branson's face was creased in thought, the insults flowing off of him like water off a duck's back. "Then what?" he continued. "What did you tell her?"

"If you must know, I told her I killed her family," Severus admitted grudgingly, his eyes blazing.

"What?! You didn't! You didn't really do that… did you, Severus?" Branson paled in shock.

"I might as well have done."

The younger man sighed. "Well, that's a relief."

"What?" Severus thundered and Branson's eyes widened slightly.

"I mean, it's a relief that you didn't kill Florence's family because, if you did, she'd never forgive you… oh." Branson stopped as he realised why Snape was so upset. "But you didn't kill them, so she will."

"Have you not listened to a word I've said?" Severus growled.

"Yep." Branson sipped at his foul tea again. "Why do you think that you killed them?"

"Because I did," Severus ground out in fury.

Branson raised one sceptical eyebrow. "That's not what you just said…"

Severus' head looked like it was going to explode. "Why do I ever bother to talk to you, Leggett? You give me nothing but trouble."

"Because I'm your friend and no one else is a better listener than me." Branson smiled sheepishly, "Well, I'm sure there are bet-"

"Will you desist in your babbling?!"

"Only if you tell me why you think you killed Florence's family," Branson bargained.

Severus mouth tightened so his lips were almost imperceptible. "My cell killed her family," he said shortly. "Ok?"

"Hmmm…" Branson nibbled on the end of one long finger. "But you weren't there."

"No. I could have stopped it."

"Rubbish," Branson censured. "You bloody well couldn't have, if you were to stay alive. If you _had _stopped it, what then? You would have been killed, at least punished… endlessly, and then Dumbledore would have been deprived of your spying AND thousands of lives would have been forfeit. Look at it this way, Florence's family would have been saved once but, once you had been killed, they would have been taken anyway."

Severus' face looked thunderous. "But-"

Branson stood up. "I know I should be sympathetic, Severus, but it is my opinion you are speaking self-pitying crap! And Florence will see that there was nothing you could have done, if you told her what you've told me. She's clever enough to see it's not your fault. Just give her time."

"You know nothing," Severus told him bitterly.

"Trust me, Severus, she'll come round," Branson trailed off as the door slammed behind his departing friend, making the picture frames rock. "Damn. Some friend I am," he muttered angrily as he cleaned up the pots.

~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~

After receiving a four-word owl from Florence (come and see me), Heather felt rather panicked. 

"I'm going to see Florence," she announced, folding back up the small note and patting Tizane affectionately on the head. 

"Now?" Sirius looked up from his own mail as though she had just announced that she was off on a spur of the moment trip to the moon for the next fortnight. 

"Don't look like that… I won't be long," Heather grumbled, getting up and looking for her shoes; she eventually gave up and used a simple summoning charm. 

Sirius got up and stood in front of the door so that Heather couldn't leave without speaking to him first. "Has he done something?" There was no need to elaborate further.

"I don't know; she didn't say." 

"I'm coming with you," Sirius stated, grabbing his leather jacket off a peg behind the door and putting his right arm in the wrong sleeve.

"No, stay here. You said that you were going to cook tonight; do that. I'll be back before you know it." 

Sirius stopped trying to find the other elusive armhole of his jacket and took it off, giving it a filthy look, before realising what he had been doing. 

Heather would have found it hilarious if she hadn't been so worried about her friend. She shuddered thinking about the last time Florence had 'summoned' her without explanation. 

"Ok, but send for me if you want me. I'll be there in a shot." 

Heather suppressed a small pang of jealousy at Sirius' protectiveness of her best friend. She wondered if he would worry that much about her. 

He looked down into her worried face, her eyes a bit watery. "She's alright, I know it," he assured, touching her shoulder and kissing her quickly in goodbye. He didn't want his carefully made plans for the evening being ruined because Heather was too preoccupied. On the other hand, this could play into his hands, giving him time to get everything ready while she was out. 

Heather appeared outside the apparation barrier at Hogwarts, feeling a little sick from her journey. She tried to mentally get her stomach back in place, then made her way to the steep steps and heavy oak door. She stepped through; everyone must have been eating in the Great Hall. The sound was comfortingly familiar despite the number of years since Heather had last eaten at Hogwarts. 

"Hello there, I'm Professor Parker. Can I help you?" 

Heather spun round to see the source of the cheerful introduction. Professor Parker wasn't too much taller than she was and was wearing dark blue robes and good shoes (polished well enough for Heather to do her face in). "Heather Harris." She offered him her hand. "I'm here to see Florence Findal. She's expecting me." 

The young man smiled. "Do you know where you're going?" he asked, his tone non-condescending.  

"Yes, I remember. Thank you, though."

He beamed at her "nice to meet you" and strode out through the main entrance that Heather had just arrived through. 

She hurried over to the door of the Great Hall and, standing just out of sight, scanned the teachers' table for Florence. She was not there. Snape, on the other hand, was and a look of thunder adorned his gaunt face. Heather sighed and headed for the stairs. 

Standing outside Florence's door she knocked and, getting no reply, entered uninvited. 

Florence was sat in a chair by the fire, looking intently at her hands. As Heather got closer, apparently unnoticed, she saw that every fingernail on both of Florence's hand's were gone, bitten off, and her face was blotched, eyes swollen from what could only be hours of crying.

Heather moved instinctively towards her, reaching into the pocket of her robe for her wand and handkerchief. She enlarged the square of cotton fabric to eight times its proper size and, kneeling in front of the chair, offered it to Florence. 

Florence looked up as though seeing her for the first time and accepted the handkerchief she was being given, holding it up to her face and almost screwing it into her red, sore eyes. Heather reached out for the other woman, drawing her into her arms, and letting her cry over her shoulder in huge racking sobs. 

Knowing from experience that often this was all one needed and no clever words were required at the moment, Heather let Florence cry herself back into silence once again. 

"You're coming home with me this weekend," Heather said firmly, giving her friend another squeeze. "Sirius won't mind." Florence swallowed hard. "I'll pack you some things and we can sneak away while everyone else is still at dinner." She made to move away and Florence just sagged where she sat, her head settling in her hands. 

Heather made tea that Florence sipped twice but didn't really drink because every time she got close to doing it justice, she would break down into tears again. Heather filled a bag with things for Florence, packing everything she would need for a weekend with a friend.

"Come on, time to go," she said, putting her arm round Florence's shoulders. 

"I have a job to do." Florence all but choked on the words and Heather just caught what she said. 

"Don't worry, I've spoken to Dumbledore, it's fine that you take this one off." It was a lie, but Heather could speak to Dumbledore as soon as she got in and sort everything out. 

Florence made another unintelligible sound that Heather took as her cue for them to leave. 

Heather stepped through the front door of her and Sirius' home to a big grin of welcome. She could see past him into the dining room where the table was laid beautifully for two with candles and all the trimmings. She waved at him, making motions as she herded an emotional Florence through the door as well. Getting the idea, Sirius shut the dining room door to block out the evidence of the intended romantic evening. Looking up, he saw Heather was still flapping. He was momentarily confused and then realised that he was dressed to impress, holding a bottle of wine in one hand and his wand in the other. A moment of hesitation followed, then he just shut himself in the dining room out of sight. 

Leading Florence through into the lounge, Heather sat her down on one of the comfortable sofas and offered her a cup of tea. Without waiting for her reply, she swept off into the kitchen where she knew Sirius would now be waiting.

She pushed past him and set the kettle boiling.

"Is she ok?" Sirius asked, concerned.

"No. She'd been crying for hours before I arrived and she's cried a lot since. Something terrible must have happened," Heather murmured as she attempted to collect the teapot from the high shelf. Sirius reached past her and got it down. "I still don't see why you have to put it on that shelf," Heather grumbled and Sirius smiled.

"Just to annoy you. Do you know what's wrong?"

"She hasn't been able to do anything but cry or bite her nails. She'll tell me later." Heather sounded more sure than she felt.

"I'm sure Snape's behind it, Sirius growled, typically choosing Snape as the first to blame.

"So am I, darling, but lets wait and see what she says. We could be wrong."

"If he is, I'm gonna rub his face in the dust."

Heather pursed her lips. "I'm sure you are, but just wait until we hear what Florence's got to say. It could be something else… stress, for example."

"Yeah, right. I guess our dinner's off, then," Sirius sighed, directing his thumb at the dining room and the waiting romantic dinner for two.

"I'm sorry." Heather drew him into a gentle hug. "But I've got to…"

"I know. Don't worry about it. You go back to Florence while I clear this up. I'll see if I can rustle up a snack."

She planted a kiss on his lips. "You're the best, you know that?"

Sirius grinned. "Of course, but it wouldn't hurt for you to say it a couple… million more times."

"Now, that's a cert."

"Oh, go on with you." Sirius kissed her one more time before turning her round and pushing her in the direction of the lounge.

Florence was sat looking in the bag that Heather had packed, her eyes still big and red and her face blotchy, but they were dry. The handkerchief was balled up in her lap. Heather sighed in relief, setting down their teacups. 

~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~

Sirius decided to go out and see what was wrong. He put the bottle of wine away, took off one sock and undid his top two shirt buttons in an endeavour to look more casual.

The minute he left the safe confines of the kitchen, Sirius was struck with instant feelings of awkwardness. Crying women had never been his strong point. He cleared his throat awkwardly and Heather looked up. Sirius gave her a questioning look. She shrugged and got off the sofa, ushering Sirius from the room.

"I have to speak to Dumbledore; don't go in there. I don't want you to upset her," Heather whispered.

"You don't want me to upset her?" he asked incredulously. "And you need to speak to Albus? This must really be something; tell me what he's done!" Sirius demanded, clearly meaning Snape.

"Stop being so melodramatic," Heather reprimanded. "I only need to speak to Albus because I told Florence I had already checked it was ok for her to leave for the weekend," she explained, not wanting to go into any great details about Snape because she knew that Sirius would get all protective.

"You know what's happened, don't you?"

Heather sighed. "Yes."

"And there's a reason you're not telling me… you know, I'm going to rip him limb from limb one of these days."

"And you would like me to help you pack your bags for Azkaban now or later?" Heather bit in a moment of jealousy.

Sirius' face darkened and the fire of anger left his eyes in an instant, that desperate look he got sometimes setting over his face. "I'll leave you to it, shall I?" he said after a lengthy pause; his gaze dropped to the floor and he wandered towards the front door, pushing his hair out of his face in an aggravated manner.

"Oh, Merlin." Heather whispered more to herself than him. "Sirius, wait," she called, rushing after him. "You know I didn't mean it. Please don't go off somewhere."

He turned back round to face her, giving her that hollow look that sort of made her want to weep.

"I'm sorry. It's just sometimes I feel like you care more for her than you do me." Heather admitted, now the one to look at his boots. "I know I shouldn't have said it…"

Sirius face softened slightly as he looked at her. "Heather… how could you think such a thing? Florence is a friend to me, nothing more. She meant a great deal to me once – but that was just a childhood crush. Nothing that compares to what I feel for you."

Heather raised her gaze so that she was looking directly at him. He looked so comically dishevelled, but conversely so sad, just standing there and staring at her.

"I'm sorry," she repeated forlornly. "Please stay."

Sirius gazed at the entreaty in her eyes and stepped forward to enfold her into a hug.

Sobbing with relief, Heather buried her nose into his chest. 

"Hey," Sirius murmured, placing a finger under her chin to lift her head up. His face softened even more when he saw her tear-stained face. "Don't cry, sweetheart. You'll be no use to Florence like that," he joked tenderly. "I'll tell you what; I'll speak to Dumbledore and you go take care of Florence. Ok?"

Heather nodded, her smile shining charmingly through her tears. She didn't trust herself to speak just yet.

Sirius felt like something had kicked him in the stomach and drew her in closer. "But first, I'm going to kiss you for ten minutes, ok?"

Without waiting for her answer, he touched his lips to hers.

~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~

Heather awoke with a start, confused as to why she had woken; as far as she could recall she hadn't been dreaming. Climbing out of bed to go and get a drink, she yawned widely, looking over at Sirius as he lay sprawled peacefully across the bed under their blankets, obviously sleeping deeply. 

A choked noise drew Heather's attention as she walked over the landing. Putting her head round the door to the spare room, she whispered into the darkness; "Are you alright?" 

The occupant drew in a deep breath. "I'm fine." was breathed through a clearly bunged up nose. 

Heather tutted, hurrying across the room, "Oh…" She knelt down by Florence's bed. "No you're not." The streak of light entering the room from the landing illuminated the tears glistening on her friend's face. 

Florence took in another shaky breath. 

"Move over a bit." Heather ordered, forgetting about wanting a drink. 

Florence sat up a little, discarding the damp pillow she'd had her face buried in, and lifted herself over. Heather got in under the quilt with her. "Talk to me," she commanded.

Florence sighed. "Oh, I don't know, I just woke up and I was somewhere strange, and there was no one here. It just, it just feels like I've lost everyone all over again."

"Oh," Heather reached out to stroke her friend's hair, "You know we're always here."

Florence felt lonely despite Heather's kind words. While she got on perfectly well in her own company, she loved to be close to people, and was happiest when in a really good friendship… or relationship. It just always seemed to end like this. With tears and aching. She didn't want to end up shutting people out, die an old lady who wouldn't even speak to her neighbours for fear of letting anyone in, but she could see how it might start to seem attractive. 

The thought of just trying to forget all this that had happened in the last year and just leaving Hogwarts to return to travelling and lecturing had occurred to her. "I know you are. I'm glad you came back with Sirius." 

Heather smiled. "So am I." She looked down for a little while and then looked back at her friend. "You know, there will probably be many times in the future similar to this when I'll regret ever having said what I'm going to say, but I'm going to say it anyway." Heather sat up a little. "I've seen Severus with you and, if he says he came back to our side because of you, then you obviously mean a great deal to him. I might have chased him out of Hogwarts with a pitchfork rather than getting back together with him, but you didn't. I've never seen you affected by anyone the way you are with him." She chewed on her lip, thinking. "I don't want you to settle for someone safe and comfortable that you don't love. I'm just saying that you shouldn't make any rushed decisions about your future." 

Florence found herself being awkwardly hugged. "Don't worry," Florence tried to get out, "I'm just feeling fragile." She hated seeing Heather so worried and there was no need really. Florence knew she wasn't going to do anything silly.

Sirius woke up and stretched till his toes poked out from under the bedclothes. He turned over to cuddle up to Heather for a couple of minutes. The blankets were pulled back and she wasn't there. Sirius yawned and dragged her pillow over, knowing it would smell of her. He put his face in it, supposing that she had just gone to the loo or to get a drink. 

After a few minutes, Sirius started to wonder what was keeping her. He yawned and threw the covers back, getting up to look for her. 

Padding across the landing he noticed that the door to the spare room was wide open. The sight inside made him stop dead. 

Some very male part of him made the mental note that the woman he wanted to marry was curled up in the same bed as the woman his every teenage fantasy had revolved around! He blinked, wondering if he was dreaming; if he was it wasn't one he was going to admit to! The implications were a little too disturbing. 

He supposed that, when he dreamt, he didn't realise that he was dreaming, so guessed that this was real. An immature urge to cuddle up with them proved difficult to get past, but he eventually shook himself and went downstairs for a glass of water. 

~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~

Dumbledore noted Snape's grim expression as he entered his office. 

"Ah, Severus. How can I help you?" he said brightly; he had been half expecting a visit from Severus. Something had happened between he and Florence at the end of last week, that much was certain. 

Severus shifted uncomfortably.

"I presume that something is bothering you." Albus decided that if he left the talking up to his Potions Master then he wouldn't have time for a plate of sandwiches before lunch. "Are you going to tell me or do I have to guess?" he prompted.

"Leggett."

It was going to be one of those conversations was it? With every other question receiving a cryptic one-word response. Severus obviously wanted to talk but was incredibly uncomfortable doing so. Dumbledore had felt like more of an agony aunt over that last year than anything else. It was a great shame that Severus had no real close friends. "Am I to guess that this has something to do with his working with Professor Findal?"

Severus sat unbidden in the chair in front of the headmaster's desk.

Dumbledore waited patiently this time, as he considered calling a House Elf, knowing that Severus would eventually accept that to have a conversation he would need to contribute to it. 

"She's working with him, spending time with him…" Severus eventually started. "… They're both attractive, he'll be everything I'm not-" 

"Severus." Dumbledore held his hand out to silence the younger man. "You think far too many thoughts." The old man sighed and turned around to his fireplace, calling the kitchen to bring him some cucumber sandwiches. "Now, I don't know what's happened," he returned his attention to Snape, "but just because she is working with someone doesn't mean she will develop feelings for them." 

Severus looked as though he wanted to protest but, when he opened his mouth, nothing came out. 

"Besides, it's been my observation that our dear friend Branson's heart lies elsewhere…so…" Albus trailed off, deciding that was not likely to be news that Severus was dying to gossip about. 

The Headmaster's ability to know everybody's business never failed to amaze Snape. "I'm sorry I bothered you." He rose from his seat, bowing his head politely and making to leave. 

"Severus…?" 

Dumbledore stopped him in his tracks. Snape remained frozen facing forward in front of the door, waiting for the headmaster to speak.

"You told her everything, didn't you?" Albus asked in a very serious tone.

There was a long silence. "Yes," Snape answered succinctly.

"Good," Dumbledore breathed.

"Good?!" Severus whipped round. "Tell me, what could possibly be good about it?" he demanded fiercely.

Dumbledore knew that he had now found the crux of what had brought Severus to his office. 

"You obviously felt it right to do so at the time, or you wouldn't have," Dumbledore encouraged.

"She…" he faltered.

"I won't force you to talk about this, Severus. I just got the impression that perhaps you wanted to." 

Severus did not confirm directly one way or the other. 

"I, in part, told Leggett what happened between us." There was a pause. "What happened when I left Voldemort," Severus clarified. 

"He is rather skilled at extracting information."

Severus lifted a dubious eyebrow in response. He could 'extract' Branson Leggett under the table any day of the week. Not that that was something to be proud of. "He was unconvinced."

Dumbledore eyed him cautiously. "And that bothers you?"

"It bothers me that the man is too blind and naïve not to trust me."

"Perhaps it isn't he who cannot see what's in front of him. He has a great deal of respect for you, and I think it's well earned."

Severus knew a reprimand when he heard one; he kept quiet, not wishing to argue the point. 

Albus sighed. "You have a lot to come to terms with about yourself, Severus, and I think these recent months have been pivotal. There was a point, when I thought perhaps I had made an error of judgement in bringing Professor Findal here, but I stand by my decision. She fits with you Severus and she knows it, as do you."

Why was everyone else so sure that everything was perfect? She had sent him away, not proposed marriage

~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~

"Are you sure you're going to be ok?" Heather asked as she dragged Florence's suitcase outside the house (manually, because they were in a muggle area.)

Florence shook her head, "I'm not sure of anything anymore."

"Oh, Florence." Heather dropped the case and enveloped her into a hug.

Sirius popped his head around the door and sighed. "Can't leave you women alone for a minute. I guess, if you want the job doing, you have to do it yourself," he said as he picked up Florence's case with no visible effort.

Heather pointed her thumb at him. "Hire your own bulk; 14 sickles an hour, available any day, any time. And even cleans around the toilet bowl!" she chuckled and Sirius growled.

"14 sickles an hour? Is that all?"

"Profess undying love and get free services for 30 years," Heather grinned and Florence had to smile. Her friend was so happy. "Floo me when you get back to Hogwarts, will you? You don't want me to worry."

"Nor me." Sirius chipped in.

"Promise?" Heather asked, grabbing her hand.

"Sure, I will. Just don't expect it to be straight away. I might have a little bit of a wander and think."

"Be careful," Heather bit her lip. "Are you sure you don't want me to come along?"

Florence shook her head. She knew her friend didn't mean it, but seeing her and Sirius together was like a blow, reminding her of the happiness she may never find.

Heather shrugged. "You know where I am, if you need me. Don't be a stranger."

Florence smiled at the couple before apparating to Hogsmeade. Wandering around the village might make her feel a little better, she decided, reducing the size of her luggage so she could slip it into her robe pocket.

A sign caught her eye: 'Madam Carswell's haircuts for 2 sickles. Make your friends and enemies green with envy.'

Although the 'green' bit sounded a bit worrying, Florence thought that a haircut would be a good idea; a new haircut for a new start. She wandered into the shop.

Ten minutes later, after queuing for six of them, Florence walked out patting her brand new hairstyle. It felt a little odd, not having as much weight on her head as before, she hadn't had hair this short since she was seven. It was quite a statement to make, considering that now it just brushed the top of her shoulders.

By the time she arrived back at Hogwarts, it was early evening and Florence was beginning to get quite tired. Yawning, she opened the large doors and crept into the Entrance Hall.

The first person she saw was Severus stealing through the door out of the Great Hall. He stopped as his gaze fixed on her, his eyes widening when he saw her change in appearance.

Not wanting to speak to him, she began to climb the stairs that led to her rooms, so she could get ready for an early night.

Severus watched her deliberately ignore him, moving away, and frowned desolately. He strode in the opposite direction.

~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~

Cosmo Burns wandered through the door into his DADA lesson; he was first to arrive that morning. But he stopped dead when he saw Professor Findal sat at her desk, face streaked with tears. Hoping he hadn't been seen, he turned round as quietly as he could and tiptoed back out into the corridor to wait for someone else to arrive. 

Florence frantically wiped at her face with her sleeve, hating herself for failing in her endeavour not to cry once she got back from Sirius and Heather's house. She took a couple of deep breaths and straightened her shoulders, calling "Come in, Cosmo." 

The small boy put his head sheepishly round the door and gave her a curious look. "Are you alright, Professor?" he asked timidly. 

"Fine, thank you, Cosmo." Florence stood up and looked at her pocket watch; the others would be here any second. 

She opened her desk draw and shoved in the papers that she had discovered on her desk when she had got there that morning. They were new advances in the Wolfsbane Potion put there by Severus. She had felt such an intense pang of sadness and wasn't quite sure if it was due to the fact that he hadn't _felt_ he could bring them to her personally or that she had _wanted_ him to. 

A few more students came in. Florence kept up her deep breaths as she tried to remember what she had been planning to teach them that morning. Picking up her notes, she remembered that they were starting Yetis today. She waited for the last of the second years to come in and then started to find out what they knew. 

Her mind kept straying all through the lesson and she hoped that it wasn't noticeable to the students. 

"So, Yetis have many different names around the world. Can any of you think of any?" A couple of hands were raised towards the ceiling and Florence picked one at random. "Dmitri?"

"Is there anything wrong, Professor?" The Russian Hufflepuff spoke up.

Florence mouth opened slightly, shocked. "No. Now do you know any names for the Yeti?"

Dmitri ignored her. "It's just that your eyes look a bit red, like you've been crying. Are you sure that you're alright?"

"Yeah, Professor. He's right. You do look a bit peaky." Sarah spoke up and the rest of the class were either nodding or concerned looks were pasted onto their faces.

"Thank you for your concern, but I'm perfectly fine. Now, if we could get back onto learning something…" Florence said pointedly and, although the students didn't look convinced, they knew when to give up. "Joel?"

"Sasquatch." The young boy said shortly before getting back to doodling on his notebook.

"Good! 5 points for Ravenclaw." Florence smiled in approval. "Sophie?"

"Uh… Abominable Snowman."

"Good, Sophie, but next time try and work out the answer yourself and not read from the textbook."

"Yes, Professor Findal."

"Right, could you please copy these notes from the board?" Florence turned around and started writing some notes, using her lesson plan to help her. She had got halfway when she heard lowered voices from the back of the room.

"I bet 5 Knuts it's Snape."

"Snape? What does he have to do with Professor Findal crying?"

"I dunno, but I heard from Owen Cauldwell – you know, the 4th year – that Professor Findal and Snape, they're well… having a little bit of hoo-hah, if you know what I mean. And they probably had a big bust up."

"That's a load of codswallop, Cosmo. You don't really think that the Prof and Snape… ugh!"

"Alex…" Cosmo elbowed his friend sharply in the ribs.

Alex looked up at the front of the room to find Professor Findal staring at him with a disapproving look in her eyes; she'd obviously heard every word. The two Hufflepuffs gulped.

"10 points from Hufflepuff. And if you two would like to get back to work…" Florence glared.

"Yes, Professor." They said in unison, ignoring the glares they were receiving from their other house members.

Florence returned to writing on the board, thinking that the state of her emotions must be really obvious to be picked up by second years.

~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~

Snape dismissed his class of fifth year Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws and they left in a flurry of haste. He walked the length of the classroom to check that nothing had been left or there had been any spillages he'd missed. 

Finding everything as it should be, he left the dungeons for lunch. So used to the journey and so lost in thought, Severus found himself at the top of the stairs with no memory of the walk and looking directly at Florence crouched in front of a tearful Ravenclaw on the other side of the Entrance Hall. He stepped quickly into the shadow of one of the castle's gargantuan pillars. 

Her face was soft and sympathetic as she reached into one of her pockets and handed the tiny girl her handkerchief. Severus watched, somewhat transfixed, as the girl blew her nose and looked thankfully at her professor. He knew her handkerchiefs, he had always wondered if the small blue 'F' in the corner was for her first or second name. There was an exchange of words, the Ravenclaw kept the handkerchief and Florence walked a little way across the hall with her before urging her to go forward into the Great Hall by herself. Severus watched Florence linger behind the girl before making her own way to lunch. He sighed deeply, musing to himself about how different they were. Perhaps it really wasn't meant to be. An unpleasant stab of anguish accompanied that thought as he left the cover of the shadows.

Her new hair was proving bothersome to him; it played on his mind. In all his memories of her, it was different. He couldn't really imagine it properly and he hated himself if he caught his mind trying. She was different now; he no longer knew what it would be like to hold her, turn his face into her neck and hair, bury his hands in it…

Severus shook himself, upon realisation that he was stood staring desolately into space in the middle of the Entrance Hall while all the students filed into the Great Hall for lunch.

Branson stopped beside him and gazed in the same direction. "Yeah, I've always wondered why they put those buttresses there. It seems like an odd place."

Severus turned his head and glared.

"So, how are you holding up, old timer?"

Severus started to walk away but Branson fell in step beside him.

"You ok? You look a little peaky." A low growl briefly stopped Branson in his verbal tracks. "Then again, you're always a bit pale, it's just my over active and poorly used imagination running away with me," he countered, beginning a new game of pocket billiards, and continued. "So… You're still in the staring into space, not saying anything stage, huh?" Branson nodded thoughtfully as though trying to remember the remedy for that. "You know, Florence only got back last night. She stayed with friends." He thought a little information might bring Severus out of his shell.

"Friends?"

It wasn't a lot, but it was a start! "Yeah, Heather, the little blonde one I took out who lives with…" Branson snapped his fingers impatiently while he waited for the over familiar name to role off his tongue. "…Sirius Black, that's what I was thinking." 

Severus stopped dead, causing Branson to have to back-pedal. "She stayed with Black?" 

"Err, yes." Branson lifted an eyebrow, the fact that there was no love lost between Severus and Sirius Black dawning on him all too slowly. "But she's back and she's not going anywhere," he added hastily.

Severus' sour look did not diminish, but he continued toward the Great Hall, leaving Branson to try and catch up again.

~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~

The decision to go home for a weekend wasn't a difficult one. It happened rather naturally in fact and Florence had found herself in Dumbledore's office after a month of being smiled cautiously at by Branson and thinking of nothing but the last night she'd spent with Severus. 

She was being told that it was a 'splendid idea' to go home and he wished more of his staff wouldn't just 'hang around and get stagnant'. She half suspected that he was just being nice, but took the weekend anyway. 

Late November wasn't really a time for the garden, so Florence sat herself in front of the TV and watched an obscene amount of daytime television, afternoon quiz shows and those really depressing dramas that they put on in the evening to remind the average TV viewer how wonderful their lives really are. Or rather, in truth, she spent two days eating cereal out of the packet (no milk), followed by soup from cans, and then making a phone call to get a takeaway delivered (to alleviate the pressure of all the cooking) and drinking obscene amounts of white wine. The TV just happened to be on. 

Florence, slowly becoming the victim of a straying mind, found herself staring at the ceiling, two twittering presenters droning in the background, and thinking through her entire life. 

The period after Hogwarts had been strange…

After the realisation that she would likely never see Severus again, she had had something of a crisis over what to do next. Much to her father's delight, she had decided to go to college. A couple of A-levels later and the only contact she still had with the Wizarding world had been Heather, Sirius and the daily deliveries of the Daily Prophet. The increasing fear and danger of the war had brought her back into it somewhat. Heather had started to stay over a lot more, she had said it helped her forget what was going for a few hours, and evidently Florence's muggle home was something of a retreat. 

A couple of failed relationships down the road and five years later, Florence had lost almost everyone she cared about in just a couple of months, her Mum, Dad and Joe in the June, then the Potters were killed at Halloween as was Peter (or so she thought), and Sirius was taken the day after. She hadn't really known what to do with herself; she was still reeling from the loss of her family. She'd stayed the remainder of the year with Heather's family and then sold her house, to a friend of the family, not feeling she could go back there or that she could really get rid of it. Then Heather had left in the New Year…

She leapt back into the wizarding world then. The sense of direction provided by her decision to become an Auror had made her feel safer and even a little less guilty for not having been able to protect her family, even if she had been there. 

She was taking a bag of rubbish (soup cans, takeaway cartons, wine bottles etc.) out to the bin, which had the inevitable effect of reminding her of Severus - but then, didn't everything? – when she was stopped by Graham from next door to have one of those 'over the fence chats' he liked so much. How come he was always out there when she was? 

"Hiya." He sounded bright, as always. 

She tried a smile, but knew it didn't really look convincing and dumped the bag in the bin with an air of finality.

"I noticed you were back. Staying long?" He looked hopeful. 

Trying to arrange her slightly soporific thoughts, Florence tried for that smile again as she waited for the cogs to whirr into action. "Nope, just a weekend break," she told him, hoping that he would get the idea and just go inside; she wasn't really in the mood for over-the-fence chitchat. 

"You look a little down." He looked genuinely worried and Florence got the overwhelming urge to run away. She had no desire for this man she barely knew to attempt to coax her problems out of her. "Anything the matter? You haven't been ill have you?" 

A million replies ran round her head. Including: _Well, yes, as a matter of fact, I was in a weird magical coma _or_ Actually, I've drank nothing but wine for 36 hours _(not entirely true, but almost) or perhaps _No, I'm fine really, I just have worst life EVER! _But, for some reason that was not immediately apparent, she said, "When I was here last time, I had someone with me, do you see him now? You teach Maths, put two and two together," turned round and went inside. Why had she said that? That wasn't what she had worked herself into a state over.

Or was it?

She was putting on the kettle without even realising what she was doing, angry with stupid neighbours and her own stupid self. 

What was wrong? She had a good job, friends, she was healthy. She also had the strangest love-life known to man. 

She wrenched open the cupboard door and pulled out a mug, slamming it down on the worktop…

Severus had the strangest effect. When he was there they fitted as comfortably as jigsaw pieces, but then something would happen and they would destroy it for themselves, like an inbuilt self-destruct mechanism born out of their deeply ingrained insecurities. They just needed to get past it.  

Florence sighed, realising for the first time that she had a terrible headache. A proper drink was probably in order. 

Perhaps they were made for each other, her and Severus, or something equally as bizarre. Probably made to kill each other in the end. 

Two large glasses of water and some aspirin later, Florence retired to bed and slept until the early hours of Monday morning, when she apparated back to the gates of Hogwarts and headed inside and up to her classroom to get organised before breakfast and her first class. 

~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~

Albus sat behind his desk staring quite effectively into space. It was about time to give some permanency to this school, he decided. What with all the changing professors – especially in Defence Against the Dark Arts, he was getting confused; let alone the students!

Well, if Filbert wanted to talk about what he suspected, there would be another change – despite being only temporary. It was time to inject some stability.

There was a short knock on the door and Albus smiled benignly as his old friend and colleague entered the room.

"Ah, Filbert. Right on time, as usual."

"I hope I'm not disturbing anything important, Albus." The small Charms professor jumped onto the chair opposite and smiled apologetically.

"Of course not! Would you like a drink?"

Filbert didn't pause. "Ok. Just one, though."

Albus waved his wand and two fingers of scotch were poured into a glass.

"So, what do you want to talk about?"

"I'm sure you know, Albus. I think I need a holiday, something temporary. I want you to know that I intend coming back. It's just I need a break, a chance to expand my horizons…"

"You don't need to sell me on it," Albus smiled easily, "I have noticed that you look a bit peaky sometimes and your temper can be a bit short. A holiday will do you good. Take as long as you need."

"Thank you, Albus. You know, it means appointing a temporary head of Ravenclaw while I am gone?"

"I had been thinking about that." Dumbledore mused as he stroked Fawkes' smooth feathers. "It's going to be a hard decision, but I think I have just the person in mind."

"Oh, who?" Filbert leaned forward on his chair as much as he could without toppling off.

Dumbledore smiled knowingly. "I think it would be a good idea to provide a reason for Professor Findal to stay," he divulged mischievously.

"So, she and Severus…" Flitwick smiled, glad he was being let in on the secret. "I've always envied your eye for goings on, Albus."

"Just as I have envied your talent in Charms, old man. It's going to be a shame to let you go. Who will we ever find to replace you?" Dumbledore asked kindly.

"I'm sure you'll manage." Filbert sipped at his scotch. "I heard Thalia Williamson is looking for a job. Couldn't she fill in?"

"Yes, that is an idea. I was considering her anyway but, if they have your seal of approval, then we can't go wrong by hiring her."

"Thank you, Albus. Remember, that it is only a-" Filbert started anxiously.

"Temporary arrangement," Dumbledore finished with a soothing smile. "Don't worry, old friend. This isn't a dastardly plot to get rid of you."

Filbert smiled, albeit a bit weakly. "I'll be leaving you, Albus. I'm sure you're busy, what with all the work you have to do…" He jumped off the chair and edged towards the door.

"See you later, Filbert," Dumbledore called from behind his desk and sat calmly until the door had shut. Only then, did he call for Florence.

Dumbledore smiled at Florence, putting a bright-eyed and bushy-tailed Fawkes back on his perch. He gestured to the chair opposite his own and sat down.

Florence took up her seat and looked at him with a half-smile. "What was it that you wanted to speak to me about, Headmaster?"

"Well, my dear, I know you've not been happy the past few weeks or so…" he paused, his blue eyes kind, "but I would like to offer you a new position. It is just temporary, mind."

Florence waited patiently in silence.

"Filbert Flitwick has decided to go on a trip to further his experience of the world and, as you know, he is Head of Ravenclaw house. The school needs someone to fill in his duties while he is gone."

Florence's eyebrows rose. "Me? But what about Veronica Vector? She has been here much longer than me… Maybe she wants the job."

"I think you are just what we're looking for. If you do not want the job, my dear, just say." Dumbledore said benignly.

"No, I will take the job… It's just…"

"It's quite a big prospect, isn't it, Florence?" he smiled and she nodded.

"I won't have to take on his Charms lessons, will I?"

"No, my dear. We have employed someone to fill that gap, don't you worry. So, you will take the job?"

"Yes." Florence said firmly before she changed her mind.

~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~

"I got you a present." Branson announced with a wide, triumphant smile as he set a wooden box down on the desk in front of Florence late on Thursday evening. 

"Wow!" Florence exclaimed, looking up from her parchments. "You really shouldn't have."

"I know, but I saw it today and thought you might like it…" He pulled up a stool from one of the front desks and perched on it to watch. "Open it then." He said impatiently. 

Florence reached out for the clasp on the edge of the lid and released it carefully; she could just see Branson's look of barely-contained anticipation. 

Lifting the cover did not dampen her curiosity. Inside was what appeared to be a mass of wood shavings. 

"Go careful…" Branson warned.

"Will it bite me?" Florence asked, smiling slightly.

"I hope not…" Branson whispered and peered into the box as she delved her hands in, eager to see a reaction. 

Florence was a little apprehensive as she moved her fingers through the protective layer of shavings… she eventually found herself grasping something that was definitely wooden. Florence glanced up at Branson who was bobbing with excitement; she was a little worried. Pulling out the item, Florence found herself in possession of "A crossbow!" she gasped. 

"I thought it would go nicely with your collection." Branson now looked apprehensive. 

"Bran, it's wonderful!" she assured, grinning.

"Oh good!" he sighed. "I sorta thought we could try it out…" he suggested. 

"Not on each other, I hope!" Florence said, aiming unintentionally at a painting at the back of the room. The occupant squealed and ducked out of view. "Sorry!" Florence called, realising that she hadn't thought before pointing. "You can come back out, I won't shoot!" A small head peeped timidly round the frame at her…

"No… I had Hagrid lend me his scarecrow!"

Florence laughed. "Did you tell him what we were using it for?"

"He made me promise to mend it…" Branson looked round as though making sure no one could hear him… "But I have to confess that I leave a lot to be desired where sewing charms are concerned," he whispered. 

"Good thing you picked a girl who has the talent then!" she grinned and, picking up her new acquisition, strode out of her classroom door into the corridor, waiting for her companion to catch up. 

Severus felt the urge to flee at the sight before him.

Madam Pomfrey was heading down the corridor in his direction. She would want supplies for the medical wing, supplies that he hadn't made. For the moment he seemed sure that she was yet to notice him, and therefore veered into the umbra at the edge of the corridor until he found a door into a classroom. 

Once inside, he couldn't believe what he was doing. He hadn't hidden from the Matron since he was at school in second year and hadn't wanted anyone to find out he'd been duelling. He decided to wait a few minutes anyway; it would look strange to be seen emerging from a disused classroom in the dark for no apparent reason.

The room's location on the fourth floor gave a lovely view over the lake, out to the forest and the flickering lights of a fire in Hagrid's cabin cast a warm glow over the scene. The novelty of the vista soon wore off and Severus' mind was drawn back to the reason for his pacing the castle, his gaze fixing somewhere in the middle distance. 

"Hey! Watch where you're pointing that thing! I don't want to teach my classes tomorrow without my wand arm!" Branson protested as Florence swung the crossbow around, trying to find something to aim at.

Fixing her sights on the scarecrow, she released an arrow, which flew straight into its left shoulder.

"Good shot! Can I have a go?" Branson asked with a grin. "I'll probably hit Hagrid's rear end, if left to my own devices," he chuckled. "It's the biggest target for miles around!"

Florence shot him a half-amused, half-disapproving look. "Yeah, sure. As you were kind enough to buy it for me."

Branson grabbed the weapon with no obvious skill and struggled to find a comfortable position with it. He grimaced and shot an arrow, which missed the scarecrow by miles and disappeared into the leaves of a very tall tree. Florence covered her mouth to smother the giggles.

"Hey! I meant to do that!" Branson grinned. 

"Yeah, right." Florence shook her head. "I think you'd better stick to your wand in future."

Branson sighed in defeat. "I guess. I did make a right bags of doing that. Can I have another go?" he asked emphatically, causing his companion to grin.

"Only if you let me help. You're never going to hit the scarecrow if you're pointing past it!"

"Alright, you chore of a woman. Show me what you've got! For starters, how am I supposed to hold this bugger?"

Florence laughed as she demonstrated it and then helped him hold it properly. Standing behind him so she could see his viewpoint, she put her arms around him and steered him around until he was positioned correctly. 

"Let go now," she whispered in his ear and he did as she said, releasing the bolt so it hit the scarecrow square between the eyes.

"Wow! We make a great team," Branson grinned, spinning around in her arms and giving her a hug and an enthusiastic peck on the cheek. "If you marry me, you can protect me forever after and do my sewing!"

"And what's in it for me?"

"You get the unadulterated pleasure of my company. And I'm told I make a spectacular cup of tea, despite the fact that I'm coffee-total!" Branson laughed and squeezed her again.

"Unhand me, sir!" Florence cried mock-severely. "I suppose, if you buy me a Medieval Turkish Scimitar, then I might just consider it," she teased.

"Hmmm…" Branson considered the offer. "Sounds fair. That way, you can kill me, if I get too troublesome!"

"If?" Florence ducked as Branson turned the crossbow her way. "What am I ducking for? You'd probably loose it around me!"

Branson stuck his tongue out.

"10 points from whatever house you're in for immature behaviour!" Florence announced and Branson looked slightly sheepish.

"Would you believe me if I said I was a Slytherin?" he asked.

"Nope." She shook her head and he grinned.

"Well, I am. I don't know whether to take that as a compliment or not. From a Ravenclaw, I guess I should."

"From anyone but a Slytherin, you should," Florence corrected with a smile and Branson returned it.

"If I was better with the crossbow, you'd think I was a Slytherin."

"If you were any better with a crossbow, I'd think you were a normal person!"

"Well, thank you very much!" Branson acted mock-affronted and Florence hugged him apologetically. He took advantage and pressed another kiss to her cheek. "You're forgiven."

"Thanks. Now give me back my crossbow!"

~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~

"What in the name of hell were you doing with her last night?"

Branson froze, trying to think of some way to stem the flow of Severus' wrath; this wasn't how he wanted the day to start! "What are you talking about, old man?" That probably wasn't the best of retorts…

"YOU KNOW PERFECTLY WELL WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT!" Severus roared and Branson was considerably glad that he had soundproofed his office. 

"Fill me in…" Branson encouraged, deciding to play the role of confused innocent. 

"You and her out last night… laughing and giggling like a pair of ninnies." 

"Oh… we were going out across the grounds to test a present I'd bought for her." Branson now knew that he could play Severus wonderfully. 

"You bought her a present…" Severus sounded positively dangerous. 

"A crossbow, in fact." The other man said, totally ignoring the fact that he might be breathing his last. "We had great fun shooting Hagrid's scarecrow!"

Severus advanced, looking so deadly that Branson was now a little less sure of his footing.

"Uhhh… why are you so upset? We only went and shot an old bag of straw… It's not like

 I took her across our desk or anything…" Branson backed up until he had to sit down clumsily on his afore mentioned piece of furniture.

Severus visibly sagged. _Our desk…_ He took a seat opposite his 'friend', ready for the long haul. 

Branson openly sighed in relief. "I'm sorry, old man, it's just… You're worried about her aren't you?"  

Severus shifted in his chair. "Yes."

"And you feel that you can't see her… that you can't ask her if she's ok? Well, I can. Alright? I can spend time with her." 

"Is this supposed to help?" Severus scowled darkly. 

"I can see her… and you know? She was a little happier yesterday. She's very sad, Severus, but it's getting better. And I can tell you that. I can ask her if she's ok for you…" Branson realised that this was not the most effective little speech he'd ever made, but it seemed to be working to some degree. "Is that alright?"

Severus didn't say anything, just sat staring sourly at Branson. 

"I can see why you like her," Branson ploughed on, without thinking, in a misguided attempt to fill the silence. "She's quite a tease, isn't she?"

Severus' gaze turned steely.

"I mean," Branson continued in a panic, "she's really easy to get on with…"

Severus stood up, drawing to his full and imposing height. He stood directly in front of the younger man, meaning he had to lean back precariously on the desk.

"Urrr…"

"You have no idea what I like about her, and you never will." His voice was low and dangerous. 

"I didn't mean anything, you know…Oh, Merlin!" Leggett swallowed, the full weight of what he'd actually implied sinking in. "Severus, please, I really didn't mean anything. Pretend I never spoke. You say yourself that everything I say is nonsense." He babbled on, rushing his sentences. 

"You would do well to watch yourself, and your tongue." Severus breathed barely audibly. 

Branson didn't dare to even blink, or move his balancing hand out of his inkpot for that matter, as Severus scrutinised him. 

Eventually the tension was broken by a knock on the door. 

Severus looked behind him, stepping back from the desk and straightening his tunic. Branson looked at the floor and shook his hand of red marking ink, picking up a parchment to wipe it off. "Come in" he called, not looking up at Severus. 

Suzan Sprout poked her head around the door and smiled at the two men. "Oh, good, I was looking for you, Severus. I have some ingredients Poppy told me you would need. I thought you might want to collect them.

Branson watched as Severus absorbed this new information. The older man turned his head giving Branson a look as if to tell him he'd gotten off lightly. 

"Thank you," Severus said succinctly to the little Professor in the doorway and followed her out. 

Branson sighed deeply and looked around for his wand to remove the ink form his palm.

8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~

Bran slid on to the barstool with a move that conveyed years of practice. He gestured for Florence to take up the seat beside him.

"One butterbeer and a large stout, please," he ordered with a charming smile at Rosmerta, who moved away to deal with the drinks.

"So, what was your reason in asking me to come to the pub tonight?" Florence asked and Branson grinned.

"What is anyone's reason for taking out a beautiful woman? Pure pleasure, of course." Florence raised her eyebrows sceptically and Branson looked a little sheepish. "And to wind Severus up. No harm in making a man stop taking what he has for granted."

"And what makes you think that Severus owns me?" Florence bit and her companion looked contrite.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean it that way. Looks like our evening has got off to a little bit of a rough start," he sighed.

Rosmerta brought the drinks over and moved away to deal with the other customers, leaving Branson searching for the bottom of his glass through his stout. "So, have you been out and about with your crossbow yet? Nearly killed Hagrid?"

"Not really and no," Florence said, amused.

"Killed one of those bastard things he keeps in his yard?" Branson asked hopefully, referring to Hagrid's new favourite creatures, Pogrebins.

"No," she laughed. "Why?"

"One of the little buggers jumped me from behind," he scowled. "Damn near ripped off the back of my robe – one of my best ones too! I nearly mooned to the whole of Hogwarts!"

Florence had to bite her lip to hold back a chuckle.

"If you ask me, he should keep those things securely locked up, not let them roam free to assault innocent, unsuspecting wizards," Branson grumbled. "I was going somewhere special too, and you know how terrible I am at doing sewing charms."

"Oh, poor Bran." Florence tried for sympathy but he hit her with a suspicious look that had her grinning again.

"Don't laugh. I had to postpone an important appointment," he frowned.

"Sorry. What was the appointment?"

"I went to see an old friend," Branson revealed cryptically.

"Hmmm? Who?" Florence was intrigued by this new piece of gossip. Who could Bran possibly want to visit in the middle of term time?

Branson gave her a look that said 'mind your own business' before taking a long mouthful of his beverage. "Just an old friend. Someone I used to know a long time ago when we used to go to school."

Florence shrugged. "That can't have been that long ago!" she exclaimed.

He cracked a smile. "Thanks. Remember, I'm only four years younger than you."

"Charming!"

He grimaced. "I really didn't mean it like that. I'm always putting my foot in my mouth," he groaned miserably. "You know, just the other day, Severus…" he clammed up, under the pretence of noisily clearing his throat. "Anyway…" Branson took another sip of his drink.

Florence followed suit, not really wanting to know what he had been discussing with Severus, let alone what he had revealed.

"So, this old school friend, do I know him or her?" Florence changed the subject back.

Branson sighed in defeat. "I believe you do know her. If you don't know her, you would know her husband." His voice grated over the last word and Florence's brow furrowed.

"Are you ok, Bran? If you need a listening ear, I can lend you mine for as long as you want."

"Nah, you've got enough problems on your plate, what with Severus telling you that secret about your family and… Oh bugger!" Branson slapped his hand over his mouth when his companion's face dropped. "Never let them say that Professor Branson Donal Leggett could ever keep a God-Damned secret," he cursed.

Florence laid a hand on his shoulder. "It's ok, Bran. Don't worry about it." She found herself oddly relieved that Severus hadn't bottled it all up within himself and she was strangely unperturbed by Branson knowing. 

Branson sighed angrily. "I'm really sorry, Florence. I can't seem to do anything right. People come to me for help and guidance and I end up yelling at them, or upsetting them even more. I just can't control my tongue!"

Leaning her head on his shoulder in support, she put her arm around him and squeezed. "Don't worry about it," she repeated. "It's not your fault."

"Has someone poured some love potion into the drinks tonight?" Flitwick's familiar voice squeaked from across the inn and Branson groaned.

"I think we've been exposed. You know how much Severus is going to kill me when he finds out that I've been groping you in the pub?"

"You haven't been groping me!" Florence exclaimed.

Branson chuckled wryly. "That's not what Severus is going to think. And I won't have time to explain before I die a horrible death. Promise you'll write me a nice epitaph? Something that doesn't read: a dimwit in life and a dimwit in death."

"I promise." She chucked a little to herself.

Florence climbed into bed, feeling heavy headed and a little dizzy. She was glad she had had Branson to walk home with; the idea to start on the pre-Christmas Sherries (it was the last day in November) wasn't perhaps the best one ever. 

She'd got in and thrown on one of her bed-robes, now that she thought about it, she wasn't wholly sure what she had done with her clothes. Did she even lock her door?

Florence pulled herself up until she was sat on the edge on the bed and rubbed her forehead, standing up slowly so as not to fall down, she crossed to the door and double-checked. She had locked it, probably out of habit. 

Her bed felt wonderfully welcoming as she got back inside. Conjuring a glass of water onto the bedside table, Florence downed the drink and then crashed her head down on the pillow. 

It wasn't long before Severus joined her. She shifted closer to him, wrapping her arm around his waist. He rolled over a little and pulled her into a hug. "I missed you," she mumbled into his chest, feeling extremely soporific and not altogether sure of where she was, but she was sure that he would hold her, all night if she wanted him to. 

Severus held the warm weight of her, not fearing what his dreams might bring for the first time in weeks. She smelt faintly of alcohol, she must have been drinking. He didn't care, she still felt wonderful. 

Severus woke with a start, flat out on his back, staring into the darkness. He muttered an incantation to the candles and a dim light filled the room, just enough for him to see. The bed was cold and empty, as he knew it would be. He must have dreamt her again. He threw the covers back, angry with his own subconscious. How was he supposed to get through this when she was all he thought about? She was so close to him and yet he had done all he could with his youth to make sure that she would never want to be closer. 

Florence slowly emerged from her comfy dream state, wondering why she was so lovingly wrapped around her bolster pillow. Lifting a thick head, she groaned aloud, perhaps last night's exploits hadn't been the greatest idea since sliced bread. 

She got up and headed for the shower, wishing that she had had the foresight to brush her teeth before going to bed, her mouth felt like the floor of a taxi. 

Florence left her room in surprisingly good time, dressed and ready for the Monday morning staff meeting.

Severus watched Florence through the entire Staff meeting, glancing at her out of the corner of his eye, not really able to pay proper attention to the proceedings. 

He had tried to avoid her most of the time and these meetings had become something he both looked forward to and dreaded. 

Filbert announced the exact date he would be leaving, and that Florence would definitely be taking over his position as Head of Ravenclaw. Severus didn't pay much attention at all after that. She was definitely going to stay then, at least until Filbert came back. 

Severus was glad she didn't want to leave as soon as possible, but the thought of her being here all the time, close to him but not his, was difficult. 

~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~

"Now pay attention, children! I have an important message for you," Flitwick raised the volume of his squeaky voice to try and bring the students to attention. Although the Ravenclaws did not look too impressed at being addressed as 'children', they quietened down and stared at Flitwick with interest.

Looking slightly uneasy at having that many students looking at him at once, Flitwick pushed his hand more firmly into his trouser pocket and smiled from his vantage point on top of a table in the centre of the common room.

"You probably have all heard the rumours that I am leaving, yes? Well, I'm afraid to say that they are true."

There was a murmur across the common room and Flitwick hopped up and down on the table to catch the students' attention again.

"Only for a little while, though!" he tried to make clear. "And while I am gone, Professor Findal has kindly agreed to take over." He gestured to where Florence stood a little nervously behind him. "The most rudimentary quality of a Head of Ravenclaw House is that one needs to have been in Ravenclaw when one was a student at Hogwarts themselves and, as you know, Professor Findal fulfils that criteria. I hope, therefore, you will treat her with the respect that she deserves and not be frightened to go and see her if anything has been troubling you." Flitwick paused for a moment. " I would also like to ask anyone that hasn't handed in their Hogsmeade permission form yet to give it to Professor Findal," he finished with a flourish of his tiny arms. "Thank you. You can get back to your work now."

He hopped down from the table and was surrounded by students, all wanting to ask questions. Flitwick smiled at Florence, giving her a signal that she could go if she wanted, as this was obviously going to last some time.

Leaving the Common Room, Florence headed back in the direction of her classroom. She saw Severus heading down into the dungeons as she walked through the Entrance Hall. He almost looked grey, his eyes dark and sunken. She paused and watched him take the first few stairs; his stance was slightly different. She fought the urge to follow him and kept going.

Branson was already inside the classroom with a large powder blue feather duster, dusting the top of the cupboards at the back of the room, when she arrived. She lifted one eyebrow and put her bag down on her desk, making just enough noise for him to realise she was there. 

He looked around, smiling when he saw her. "Bran, you and Severus spend time together, don't you?" 

"If I can annoy him into seeking me out or catch him unprepared." The Irishman bordered on grinning. 

Florence wondered at his sudden joviality. "Is he well?" She cut straight to the chase, not wanting to linger around the subject. Her fierce sense of protectiveness, where Severus was concerned, unsettling her. 

From his vantage point on a small wooden stool, Branson blinked, for some reason he had been expecting a school-day style 'I like your friend' conversation; he couldn't imagine why. He wondered briefly at his own stupidity: she and Severus were way past that; they were somewhere no school child ever fantasised about going. "I don't know." Branson admitted. "If he weren't, do you honestly think he would tell me?"

Florence let out a long sigh. "Would you see him, just speak to him?"

"Of course, I try to keep an eye on him anyway."

Florence gave him a brief thankful look then looked at the floor and then made a hasty retreat to her office, not wanting to continue the conversation. 

~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~

Severus blinked and lowered his head into his hands, as the parchments before him started to swim into a blur of little black ink puddles. He tried to rub his temples, but this only seemed to aggravate the pounding of his head.

Opening his eyes, Severus pushed his chair back in horror, when his desk was crawling with bugs. Blinking again, they were gone. He shook his head, and walked away in the direction of his library door. He cut through the dungeon passageways to his lab. 

Opening up his store cupboard, propping himself against the frame, Severus heated up something to clear his head, just the fumes from the cauldron making him feel a little more compass mentis, and then returned to his marking. He sat back at his desk and hung his cloak round his shoulders but soon found that the merits of Dill Weed did not do the best job of keeping one's attention. Severus left for the corridors; there was something relaxing, or at the very least vaguely engaging, about wandering the castle. It kept you awake for a start. 

Severus hadn't been out of his rooms long when he realised he was being followed. Whoever it was, wasn't making an awful job of it either. Severus changed his route and doubled back a couple of times, but he could still hear them, just out of range, tickling at the edge of his hearing. 

Paranoia, that's what it was. He would simply fall victim to it out here. Severus decided to return to his rooms, he would be safe there. He still hated the sense of dread at entering the dungeons and the inexorable pull of the staff quarters on the third floor. He paused on the stairs, closing his eyes and trying to put the thoughts to the back of his mind. 

The ground seemed to role and buck when he opened his eyes; Severus reached for the wall, regaining himself. If he went on like this he would need matchsticks to prop his eyelids open. He didn't want to sleep though, that brought dreams. He could almost feel them scratching at the back of his mind, threatening. 

He closed the door behind him, feeling both relief, and dread, relief to be back in the relatively safe confines of his quarters and dread at whiling away the next six hours. He started to pace.

Severus didn't stop even when the predictable sight of the walls started to make him a little dizzy. At first the knocking on the door wasn't really conceived as significant. As it became slightly irksome, Severus was drawn from the strange mindset he had been inhabiting and headed in the direction of his door. The abrupt change in direction being accompanied by a less than pleasant tug of inertia. 

Branson stood outside the door, staring at the grain of the wood, and wondering how on earth he was going to figure out whether Severus was ok, without the other man thinking it was some sort of conspiracy or removing one of his limbs as slowly and painfully as possible. It was doubtful he could avoid the latter as he seemed to drive Severus into almost injuring him every time he opened his mouth.

Branson raised his hand to the door and, not being one to prevaricate long over dangerous situations, knocked hard and loud.

"Severus?" he called, doubtful that the Potions Master would hear him through the solid oak. "Severus, are you in?"

There was a slight pause – as if the older man was debating whether to let him in, Branson thought with a smile – before the door creaked open to allow him entry.

Branson strode into the room and fixed Severus with a painfully bright smile. "How are you doing, old man? I thought it was about time I paid a visit to the elderly and infirm!" Inwardly, he winced and wished he'd kept his big mouth shut.

Severus' eyes narrowed a little. "What do you want, Leggett?"

Branson did a quick, but thorough, search of Severus' person, checking for any signs of illness or insanity. He found plenty. The man before him was pale, well, paler than usual. His eyes were slightly bloodshot and pink, as if he hadn't seen his bed for at least a couple of nights. The hand that gripped the desk he was leaning on was white with strain and none too steady. Altogether, it didn't present a comforting sight.

"Are you just going to stand there and look at me all day or shall I just show you the door?" Severus asked scornfully and Branson stiffened.

Thinking that there was no point in wasting time as Severus would probably keel over if he didn't move fast, Branson jumped straight to the point. "Severus, you don't look well. I propose that you go to the infirmary. Don't worry, I will accompany you."

Severus straightened from his position leaning against the desk and swayed slightly, making Branson take a worried step forward, his arms outstretched.

"Don't you dare take one more step, Leggett. I don't need your help," Snape hissed and the younger man lowered his arms back to his sides, a worried frown creasing his normally smooth brow.

"Don't be a fool, man. Take help when it's offered."

"I don't need your help," Severus repeated viciously. "When will you learn to mind your own business?"

"When everyone else's business stops being so interesting," Branson countered wryly. "Now, if you won't go to the infirmary, at least sit down and let me make you a cup of tea."

"No."

"I'll put some lemon in it and make it a treat," Branson continued, turning away and moving towards the fireplace.

"No!"

"Perhaps some honey, too…"

"Dammit, Leggett! Will you just get out of my sight?!"

Branson spun round and fixed Snape with a stern look, his jaw jutting out determinedly. "You won't dissuade me this time, Severus. You can rant and rave until your throat is sore, but I am not leaving you in this state. And that is final," he bit.

Severus' hands clenched at his side and he made to take an aggressive step forward, but the dizziness that had been pushed to the back of his mind returned in full force and he swayed precariously before crumpling to the floor.

Branson, his reflexes quick through years of practice, levitated Severus before he fell and lifted him onto a quickly summoned stretcher.

"And that's what happens to bastards who don't do what I tell them," Branson chastised matter-of-factly, shaking his head disapprovingly at the still form, his previously jovial exterior replaced with an oddly intense expression. "I hope you'll know better next time."

Leading the stretcher out of the door, he pasted a cheerful smile back on his face and strode quickly towards the infirmary.

Madam Pomfrey pursed her lips. Branson looked at the toe of his boot, awaiting prognosis. When the Matron simply sighed and bustled away, he was drawn to follow her. 

"So…what's wrong with him? Why the maintained state of horizontalness?" Branson gestured back toward the bed containing the lifeless Snape.

"Sleep depravation. I'm hardly going to wake him up," the Matron informed him irritably. 

Branson drummed his fingers on the doorframe to her office. "How long do you think he hasn't been sleeping?"

"For symptoms like that, it must have been at least four or more days. If he'd been neglecting sleep before that, it could have been less," Poppy enlightened him. 

Branson thought of going to tell Florence. She had asked him to check on Severus, did she want to know how he was or did she just want to know that he would have someone to keep an eye on him? He chewed thoughtfully at his bottom lip. 

"I don't think there's much point to you staying." Poppy smiled at Branson in a motherly fashion. "I'll make sure he sleeps till morning and I'll insist he takes sleeping draft for a few days."

"Hmm." Branson left, wandering slowly through the door as he deliberated over seeing whether Florence was awake or not. He plodded down the steps, lost in thought. He didn't want to worry her, nor did he want her to blame him if she found out later and had wanted to know. 

Severus _was_ all right though. And if she asked in the morning he wouldn't lie. Branson headed back toward his own end of the staff quarters.

A/N:

The title comes from the rhyme:

Monday's child is fair of face,

Tuesday's child is full if grace,

Wednesday's child is full of woe,

Thursday's child has far to go,

Friday's child is loving and giving,

Saturday's child works hard for it's living,

But the child that is born on the Sabbath day, 

Is bonny, blithe, good and gay. 

(Florence and Severus are both Wednesday's Children).

Hmm, well, Squirrel has expressed fears that I'm a manic-depressive because I'm getting way too good at this shit!

I'm not though, if I'm feeling down, I can't write at all. So these long chapters should prove encouraging! 

The next chapter should be a festival of merriment, so brace yourselves. 

**Becki: **You must have read our minds where Branson is concerned! Squirrel has some stuff up her sleeve for him (If indeed she had sleeves!), don't worry, I think it will prove very interesting indeed! We have already slipped in a couple of tiny hints!

**Starlight: **Glad you enjoyed it! Sorry we made you cry. We're sure it wasn't that sad when we wrote it, but we both cried when we read it! 

**Hopeful Writer: **We promise not to get any random street psychos to help us write! And hope this chapter lives up to expectations. 

**lovable843: **Thank you for saying that we are talented and you enjoy long chapters – it makes us feel a lot better about waffling on and on! This chapter is probably our longest yet and we hope you aren't disappointed.

**elfy: **We hope you found our story 'Before They Were Famous' when Flo and Sev are at school. Thank you for your compliments – it's always fantastic to have new readers. 

**Tegan: **We are sad that it's coming to an end too, but there are whispers of a sequel floating about in our brains, so if anyone likes the sound of that then just yell! We were flattered by your opinion of Florence – it means loads to us to know that she comes across well. I think there's a little of us in there somewhere.

Thank you as always for all your kind words, and lots of love, 

Martha and Squirrel. xxx.


	28. Someone To Watch Over Me

Chapter 28: Someone to Watch Over Me.

Disclaimer: We don't own the characters, places or anything recognisable from the Harry Potter Books 'cause they belong to J. K. Rowling. We write only for our own pleasure and make nothing from it

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Severus woke to the most delicious warmth all down the length of his back. A strange sense of contentment that he hadn't felt for months seemed to have taken root during the night. It was a few moments before it dawned on him that these feelings had an arm, an arm that was curled over his waist, and a hand that held his nightshirt, it's fingers slipped carefully between the buttons. He knew it so well; very tentatively he brought his own hand up to cover hers, almost to reassure himself that she was real.

Such a myriad of emotions assailed him as she shifted behind him, snuggling her face deeper into the back of his neck. Severus' every impulse was screaming at him to just turn over and gather her up in his arms so she couldn't get away, not caring if he woke her.

What had brought her here? Florence had never once led in his bed before. He shifted very carefully round until he was led on his back. She made a little sound and moved to snuggle up to him again in her sleep; her head on his shoulder and her hand hugging round his waist. He held onto her loosely wanting so much to know what had brought her to him but now not having the heart to wake her up.

Severus didn't want to go back to sleep, if he did then he might wake up to find he had just dreamt her.

He felt as though he had watched her for hours, taking in her every feature, he would never grow tired of her face. He touched her hair as lightly as he could, the different length very unfamiliar to him. If this was a dream, it was the best dream he'd ever had.

Every time she shifted in her sleep he would feel those little tugs on his heart and the rise of anticipation of her waking and each time she would just settle again, undisturbed.

His eyelids felt heavy and he had such an overwhelming desire to just slip back into sleep, but each time he convinced himself it was safe she would move against him and he would snap into alertness in case she woke up.

When Florence woke to the sound of someone's heartbeat, she lay still for a while letting the memories of the night before come back to her.

She had been sat next the fire in her room, cold and wrapped in a blanket, for the second night in a row. It had taken an age for it to dawn on her that she was thinking about Severus. Florence knew that he would be down here in the dungeon in the cold with no fire; she knew it the way she knew rain was wet. And after all, why had she come back to Hogwarts in the first place? Certainly not for the money, a teacher's salary was nothing to write home about. Granted, the position was a little more secure than she had been used to, but whom had she been kidding?

Severus was awake. He was playing with a piece of her hair; she could feel him letting it fall through his fingers. There was not one ounce of doubt that she wanted to be there, Florence just had no idea what she was going to say.

Severus felt her stiffen in his arms; he stilled his hand and waited, barely breathing, his heart racing in anticipation. She pulled herself a little higher on his body and whispered "good morning" in his ear.

She felt him sigh deeply, and push his face into her neck, kissing her though her hair. Perhaps she didn't need to say anything at all. Lifting her head she planted a soft kiss on his mouth and he returned it.

Severus carefully broke the kiss, touching their noses and pushing her hair off her face. "I love you," he breathed so faintly in was almost inaudible.

"I love you too," she whispered back, leaning forward to kiss him again.

Severus dodged her. "I love you so much," he mumbled as he spread warm and absentminded kisses round her jaw and her ear. "I can't believe you're real… I've dreamt you so many times."

Florence had never felt so consumed with love, she just nestled her face in his neck, trying hard not to cry for the millionth time. She could feel his hand on the back of her head, sort of cradling her, his long fingers working into her hair. Severus felt her shake with emotion and just lay still for a while.

"How? How can you… After all I've done…" he eventually managed, needing her to explain.

Florence pulled up from him, propping herself on one elbow, and opened her eyes for the first time. He had an ache-inducing look of vulnerability, his eyes opened slowly and the love in their usually unreadable depths made Florence draw in a sharp breath. She lifted her free hand from his shoulder to trail her fingers down over his cheek.

Drawing it out of her hair, he captured her hand in his. Lacing their fingers. He wanted this closeness, desperately, despite still being in doubt about her feelings.

"I decided I could handle that," she said honestly. "I just needed some time, I really hadn't been prepared for what you told me." She sighed, chewing her lip. "I had always assumed you were already working for us the night my family were taken."

"Always?"

"You were on trial when I was training, I could read any reports I wanted. I knew Albus had vouched for you. They never said why, it was all rather sketchy."

"I went to him that night. It was some time before he trusted me fully. There was no reason given at the trial. The Headmaster is greatly respected: he was tipped for the ministers job and no one wanted to argue with him."

Florence nodded, watching Severus as he spoke, none of his usual defences up, she got the impression that he would tell her anything. She looked at their entwined hands as his thumb started to stroke the back of her hand. "You told him what provoked you to leave? You told him it was me?"

Severus nodded, awaiting her reaction.

"He knew all along, and he brought me here. The sly old git never said a word." Florence looked considerate.

"I should have told you all of this long before now." Severus looked so angry with himself.

Florence thought about her next statement; she had to be sure of what had happened in the past to ever be sure of their future. "Severus, there's just one more thing I need you to-"

"Anything," he assured, knowing that for this to last, he would have to be willing to let her know him completely. Strangely, it didn't horrify him as much as he would have thought. He needed to know that the words she said were true and her feelings weren't false and, above all, he wanted her to have all of him; there was no one else he would trust with his life and his past. She instilled a sense of security in him he had never felt before and he didn't ever want to be without that again.

"I need to understand what happened when we finished school." She didn't elaborate any further, wanting to know what he would say.

Severus looked somewhat overwhelmed. "I don't think I know where to start," he said quietly.

"Perhaps that's not what I need to hear."

Severus didn't know how to explain himself. She looked a little sickly; she was really baring her insecurities. He sat up, taking a deep breath.

Florence pulled away a little, letting him sit and collect his thoughts.

"I don't want to make any excuses or cheat you out of the whole truth, I just don't know where to start."

"Severus, we were different then. If you tell me I didn't mean to you then what I do now, I don't care; we're starting again."

Severus shook his head. "Don't say that." He said with a force she hadn't expected. "I don't understand most of it myself, I didn't know what I was getting into, but I do know that I thought the world was ending just because I was sending you away on that train for a couple of days before I came to see you."

Florence remembered that as clear as day; it certainly hadn't felt like he intended to leave her for good. She'd made some excuse, that one of her aunts had been ill and would be staying with them, that's why he couldn't come back with her right away. In truth, she had wanted a little more time to figure out how to explain to him she was from a muggle background. They had been together for almost a year and around that many people that knew, she had half presumed he already knew. She'd known the next day that she had made a mistake and explained it all in a letter, and told him to come as soon as he could. He hadn't replied or turned up and she had written to him numerous times after and tried to find him. The nagging feeling was always at the back of her mind that he hated her for not being able to tell him, or hating her because she was muggle born, and wanting to go back to the platform that day and just take him home with her regardless.

"I got a letter the next day-"

Florence felt her belly go to knots and shut her eyes.

"-from Mulciber."

Florence eyes flashed open and she frowned. "Marcus Mulciber?" The only memories Florence had of him were that day in Diagon Alley when they were at school and last Christmas when Severus had almost wrung his neck.

"He told me you weren't pureblood. You have to understand that last year, when he was here, I knew I wouldn't have left you just because of some childish letter. Don't get me wrong, I was as prejudiced as the rest of them at the time. I was brought up to believe that bloodlines were everything. I was shocked, granted; I had never thought of you as anything but a true witch." Severus put an emphasis on the word 'true' letting her know this probably wasn't the best word to describe what he was meaning. "I met with him. There was a group of them, all practicing dark magics, I'm pretty sure that very few of them knew it had anything to do with Voldemort. He was tempting young witches and wizards with tastes of the power that was held by the darkness and then introducing himself as someone who could take them further, when in fact he had been there all along. I was susceptible, arrogant, and once I was into it there was no getting out. I thought I was more powerful than all of them, I thought I could take the whole regime from the inside. I soon found out I was wrong and became a willing minion.

"Anyway, when you came back here I couldn't understand it, how I'd let it take over, why I had gone to join them in the first place. You had told me to go to you and I didn't understand why I hadn't… I still had the letter he sent me. I fetched it and… well, it's not just a letter. Albus has it now. There was magic in it, somehow it affected me. Nothing I didn't already possess, but still, it made me more curious about what he was offering, and less inclined to think of things that would have led me not to go," Severus elucidated. "It would explain why I never came to you. It was never my intention to-" Severus stopped, realising he was just trying to make things easier on himself.

"You got all those letters I sent?" Florence asked.

Severus opened his mouth as if to say something and closed it, thinking better of it. He seemed to have a little inner debate with himself. "I still have all the letters you sent."

Florence felt her eyes widen. "You have them?"

Severus nodded. It was the truth; he couldn't see what good hiding it from her would do.

She blinked, surprised into silence.

"Only some of them are read. I can't remember when I realised I still had them, but I didn't seem to be able to open them or get rid of them."

The young girl that had written those letters was very different from the woman that lay in bed with him now. She had been naïve and distraught, but now… Florence felt battered and bruised, not wounded by a loved one, but generally weathered by life. She didn't love him in the same way, it wasn't the sort that made you wander around in a daze, grinning inanely at everyone and everything; it was the sort that made you ache all over, the type where you would just shrivel up if you were kept apart rather than just get over it.

"I got so angry with you," Florence whispered. Bringing her gaze back up to his face she seemed to focus, coming out of her thoughts. "I don't think that little girl exists anymore…"

"Flo." Severus sunk back a bit further under the covers.

"Can I have them?"

Severus blinked. "I… Yes, of course."

There was a long silence. "I…" Florence thought about what she was saying. "I've never loved anybody else," she whispered.

Severus' eyes fell shut and he pulled her down into a hug, wrapping her tight in his arms. She felt his shoulders shake. "I have never said those words to anyone else, and I have certainly never felt it." He swallowed hard, his chest uncomfortably tight with emotion

Florence pulled up, looking at him curiously, something dawning on her. "You can't cry, can you?"

Severus fought against the urge to look away and shook his head. "You do enough dark magic and you start to lose things. Voldemort was barely human at all," he explained. Staring up at her, he saw her eyes were full of tears. "Oh, Flo, don't," he murmured, stroking his thumb across her cheek as tears spilled from her eyes.

"They're not mine," Florence told him and she lowered her head so that their cheeks were touching, letting him feel the hot tears.

"Flo?"

"I can't explain."

She could have been his and only his, had he done things right, but he hadn't and he regretted it with every breath. What was done was done though and he would do things right from that second on. Severus nudged his cheek into hers, squeezing her as close as he could, his shoulders shuddering. He turned his face, kissing her mouth, tasting the salt of the tears as they trickled between them.

The tears eventually dried up and Florence led in his arms for a while, just all cuddled up. He eventually broke the silence, previously only filled with their quiet breathing, with a question that had been niggling at him since he woke, but hadn't been able to place. "How did you get in?" He spoke softly, not moving.

Florence looked up. "Through the door."

"There are enough wards on that door to-"

"Put a hole in the world? – I noticed."

Severus frowned.

"And I should probably tell you that I I'm obliged to report a number of them to the ministry for use without a licence… But I won't."

Severus still looked confused.

"If it makes you feel any better, it took hours," she ventured, wondering, not for the first time, how she had got in and into bed with him without waking him up.

"You may have to assist me in improving it." Severus looked disturbed.

"Wouldn't want me getting in a second time. One morning like this is enough for anyone," she said, a smile tickling at her lips.

"You know what I meant," Severus stated.

"Yes, but it was too tempting a torment to miss." She smiled, laying her head back on his chest, putting her arm under his pillow. "You slept in my rooms for months without half the wards," she commented, not understanding.

Severus seemed to consider this, his fingers returned to fiddling with her hair.

"What's this?" Florence's brow furrowed as she tugged on something that was screwed up under his bolster pillow.

It dawned on Severus what she had found. There was no getting away from admitting it.

"Hey, this is mine!" she announced, finding herself in possession of one of her old brown bed robes. "Where did you get this from?"

Severus raised his eyebrows.

"Well, obviously it came from my rooms, but when did you take it?"

"When you went to London back at Easter," he admitted.

"So that's it then…" Florence looked considerately at the robe. "I knew I'd brought five with me and not four."

"I'm sorry," Severus said.

Florence frowned again and tossed the robe aside. "You did miss me?"

It was Severus' turn to frown. "Of course I bloody missed you," he said quite forcefully, pulling her back against his chest, still having trouble believing she was even there.

Then she said the last thing he expected: "You aren't stubbly," and reached up to touch his cheek and chin.

"I've been using a charm," he stated matter-of-factly, not wholly meeting her gaze, his hand taking hers away from his face.

Florence wrapped herself tightly in a portion of the blankets and rolled over so she could lean over the edge of the bed. She resurfaced with her wand out of her ragbag and took off the charm. "That's better," Florence announced, leaning across him and dropping her wand on the floor. Severus look was stern when she arose. "What?" She was confused.

"That was rather careless."

Florence leant back over the bed, all mock horror. "Oh, Severus! Why didn't you tell me your rug eats wands?!"

He sighed at her sarcasm.

"Can we stay like this all day?" she said amongst a contented yawn and nuzzled her face back into Severus' hair, forgiving him any eccentricities.

He made an annoyed sound in the back of his throat as if just remembering something.

"What?" She lifted her head to look at him again.

"Hogsmeade." He stroked her hair back off her face, looking fixedly at her.

Florence groaned. "I should have remembered, I spent all week chasing third years for permission forms." She yawned, covering her mouth. "What time is it?" She had lost the concept of time and being in the dungeons didn't help. The lack of windows meant that the only light came from candles or the burning torches round the walls that were at the moment extinguished, no matter what the time of day.

He turned his head and craned his neck to see the clock. "About nine o-clock."

Turning back to her, he leant forward and captured her mouth with his in a very loving kiss. Florence leant into him and enjoyed it. Breaking apart, he pressed the side of his nose to hers in an enduring gesture of affection. Florence rolled back, tugging him with her.

He then placed soft, pressureless kisses up her nose and over her closed eyelids, eventually sighing deeply. "We should get up." He sounded resigned.

"Can I use your bathroom?" Florence asked with an obvious note of humour.

Severus grinned at her, chuckling faintly. "Of course." She moved to get up. "On one condition," he reconsidered.

"And what would that be?" she smiled sweetly at him.

"We bath together."

"Well I don't know about that." Florence put on a show of mock indecision.

Severus was already out of bed. He threw the covers back, making her gasp in the momentary shock, and leant down to pick her up, scooping her into his arms and striding toward the bathroom.

Florence giggled and lifted her arms to link them round his neck. "Quick, it's freezing." She shivered as every hair on her body stood up making her feel like a startled hedgehog.

"I'm only human," he griped; kicking the bathroom door open and then shut again once they were in.

"I didn't _ask_ you to carry me," Florence reminded. Severus put her down and she gasped as her feet hit the cold bare stone floor. "Ok, carrying was good," she said shifting subconsciously from one foot to the other.

"I take it you would like a hot bath?" He looked at her with such open amusement that Florence couldn't rein in the urge to cuff him playfully round the head. "A hot bath it is then," he said, ducking out of her way and adjusting the taps. "Bubbles?"

"Does the billywig fly?"

Severus grinned at her use of the expression and climbed over into the water. Soon the whole room was full of steam and he could barely see her. "Come on in then," he prompted when she didn't immediately follow.

Florence got in to the water in front of him, pulling her robe over her head, and he slid his legs down her sides. "You have a bigger bath than me," she commented, noticing how easily they both fitted in and there was still room to move about. "In fact the whole room's bigger, much better than that poky little excuse for a bathroom I've got," Florence grumbled.

"Does it matter?" Severus asked, gathering her hair in his hands to expose her neck so he could kiss it.

"Severus?" Florence leant back into him without thinking.

He managed a distracted "Hmm", his hands now creeping round her waist.

"Would you wash my hair?" she asked, feeling the need for a different sort of intimacy.

"You want _me_ to wash you hair?" He sounded as though someone had just told him they thought _he_ was the ideal candidate to ice a cake.

"That's what I said," she encouraged.

"I don't have shampoo," he admitted as though it was something only a few people used and she was asking for something really bizarre. She knew why he didn't wash his hair, at least not often; she had known for years.

"You didn't bring your wand in with you, did you?"

"Yes, why?"

Florence knew he would have, he took it everywhere, a sort of paranoia that he might need to defend himself at anytime. "Would you summon my bag from in your room?"

"You brought shampoo?"

"Lets just say that I was ready for every eventuality."

Severus did as she instructed and Florence rummaged through the blue ragbag and produced shampoo and a jug. She smiled sheepishly and handed them over.

"Thank you," she whispered.

He hesitated and she turned to look at him. "You know, I've never…" he trailed off.

"Just do it like you would your own," she prompted.

Severus sighed. "Washing my hair is a rushed, unpleasant and uncomfortable experience that I would rather not think about, as you well know," he said curtly, as he set the shampoo bottle down on the ledge next to the bath and collected her hair up again. "Lean your head back a little," he instructed shortly.

After a long silence, in which Severus efficiently combed her hair back with his long fingers, Florence spoke up. "I'm sorry, you don't have to," she conceded.

"I know," Severus murmured, still thoughtfully running his fingers through her thick, straight hair, his mind obviously on something else by now. "Why did you cut it?" he mumbled, his words spoken into the handful of hair he had his face in.

Florence leaned back into his body. "I don't know," she admitted. "I felt like a change, I suppose, it was always the same."

"I liked it."

Florence put her hands around his knees, abstractly admiring his long pale legs, dusted with very dark hairs. "I know," she leant back, tilting her head to let him hide in her neck and hair, "I'm sorry."

He lifted his head, taking her chin and twisting her head gently round so that he could kiss her. "Don't be sorry," he commanded, between the tender brushes of his lips. "It doesn't matter, does it?"

Florence's face lit with a watery smile. "It'll grow," she whispered, kissing him in return, touching his face with a wet hand.

Severus eventually drew back, clearing his throat and pushing his hair out of his face. He gathered her hair back up, picking up the jug so that he could wet it.

Florence soon discovered that Severus didn't appear to take too well to giggling fits, at least not in this particular situation.

Initially having been rather apprehensive, Florence had then been struck by the possible sensuality of the situation, the water trickling down over her not to mention the bubbles as Severus had started to lather, working in the shampoo with those lovely long fingers. His entirely practical approach and the no-nonsense look on his face had provoked huge fits of giggles. Florence ended up attacking him with bubbles, descending further into hysterics as he scowled at her with a big blob of foam on his nose. She leant forward, fighting for breath, as her laughter subsided, and wiped it off with a stroke of her index finger down over the hook of his nose.

She smiled, leant forward and kissed him carefully, lingering just a moment on his lips to tell him she was sorry.

"Do you want me to finish this or not?"

Florence pinched her nose and screwed her eyes up, then leant back into the water. Severus watched, briefly amazed at how she could bring herself to do that. Then he wondered at why his body found it quite so appealing. He decided perhaps the deep bubbly water was a good idea, and was thankful for the abundance of space there could be between them in the large tub. He wasn't sure he wanted her to know just where his mind was.

Florence resurfaced, gasping and smoothing her hair back, then wiping the water from her eyes. Severus felt a foot brush his hip and flinched. Florence gave him a brief odd look, as she rung her hair out, and then reached for a towel. Leaning over the side of the bath, she wrapped her hair in a towel turban, then turned back to him.

He looked a little uncomfortable, she could understand; they hadn't even spoken for weeks, let alone been in a situation as intimate as sharing a bath tub. It was bound to feel a bit awkward.

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Florence did a drying charm on her hair and dressed quickly to guard against getting a chill as she emerged from the warmth of Severus' steamy bathroom. The room was as drab as she remembered, absolutely nothing around the place; smoothing down her skirts, something caught her eye; a bottle on the bedside table, a bottle of sleeping potion.

She felt her stomach tighten into knots; there was no way he would have taken it voluntarily. It would have made him feel too vulnerable. Madam Pomfrey must have insisted. She had no idea things had got so bad. He had looked unwell for a while and she'd been worried enough to ask Branson for help, but for him to have acted on the Matron's recommendation…

"Are you alright?" Severus asked from behind her.

Florence spun around. "Fine," she assured, half of her feeling really bad for choosing last night to sneak in on him, when it was the one thing he worried about. The other half feeling relieved that she had; perhaps the knowledge that she had been there might have made him a little more secure.

Severus looked at her; there was such sadness in her eyes. Then she stepped forward and wrapped her arms around him, hugging him tight. He returned it, not really understanding.

A while later Florence stepped away. "Come on," she encouraged, enthusiasm renewed. "We have cretins to round up in the entrance hall."

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"Hey, Caleb, try one of these. They're so nice!"

Caleb moved towards the shelf that Jack was looking at and read the label on the jar. "Ewwww! Gross!" he cried, looking at the squirming wiggly worms in the jar.

"But they're raspberry flavoured!"

"Still…" Caleb looked dubious.

"Go on…"

Caleb shook his head and turned around, searching the crowded sweet shop for Maggie. He eventually spotted her deliberating over a display full of toffees. Just to the right of her Natalie MacDonald stood laughing with her friends over a large assortment of oddly shaped lollipops.

Jack followed Caleb's gaze and grinned. "You gonna go and try your new chat-up line, Cavell?"

Caleb gave Jack a withering look. "Yeah, right."

"Go on, mate. She's gagging for you!"

Jack dragged Caleb across the shop and pushed him towards Natalie. He stumbled and nearly fell right into her.

"Hi, Natalie," Caleb squeaked. "Sorry about that."

Natalie looked at the pile of Every Flavour Beans that she had dropped on the floor and directed a scowl in his direction.

"What do you want, Caleb?"

"I was just…" he trailed off, suddenly shy. "I… err…"

Natalie gave him an impatient look. "What?"

"Never mind." Caleb turned around and walked back to Jack, who was grinning.

"So, how did it go? When's the wedding day?" Jack asked playfully.

"Oh, go suck on a Pepper Imp!" Caleb retorted with a rude finger gesture.

Jack grinned. "There's no need for that, Caleb."

Maggie frowned shaking her head. "Will you just leave each other alone? Honestly, you're just like a couple of first years!"

"Sometimes you sound exactly like my mother," Jack complained.

"That's probably why you're so attracted to her!" Caleb snickered.

Jack scowled. "Oh, shut up!"

Maggie raised one eyebrow. "Are you finished? I want to go somewhere other than here, you know."

Both boys rolled their eyes.

"Never take a girl shopping," Caleb said seriously. "It always ends in disaster."

Maggie cuffed him around the ear.

"Ouch! Watch it!" Caleb cried. "I told you so," he whispered in an affronted aside to Jack as they moved out of Honeydukes.

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"What do you want to do with the remainder of the day?"

"I don't know really," Florence admitted. "You want to brew potions though."

"What led you to that assumption."

"My Mum always said that my Dad got a specific look on his face when he wanted to go the pub, and I never understood that. But I do now; I know when you want to spend time in your lab. It's not a look, but I can tell."

Severus raised a sceptical eyebrow, wondering if her mother had indeed possessed a little magic in her veins. "I haven't done any brewing, outside of the classroom that is, for some time. Poppy is getting rather agitated about the state of her store cupboard."

"I'll make you a deal, you can brew potions if I can sit with you."

"Certainly." Severus couldn't think of many things nicer that didn't involve taking ones clothes off.

They walked back to Hogwarts in relative silence, just the sound of rowdy children in front of them and the gravel under their shoes. That was until a fireball interrupted things.

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Jack looked back to where Caleb was lagging behind. "Oi, Cavell! Move your arse!"

Caleb looked up from where he was rummaging in his rucksack and jogged to keep up with his friends. "What?! I was just trying to find something."

"Your brain cells?" Jack snorted and Caleb sent him a glare, which turned into a grin of triumph, when he found the bag of Peppered Imps that was buried away at the bottom of his bag.

"Oh, no, Caleb. You can't eat those now…" Maggie looked worriedly at him.

Caleb shrugged and popped one into his mouth. All of a sudden, his eyes began to bulge.

"Oh, no…" Maggie groaned and took two steps back.

Jack, who was facing forward, looked back at Caleb just as flames spurted out of his mouth. Caleb let out a massive burp and grinned.

Flames licked Jack's forehead, as his spiky hair that he carefully styled every morning went up in smoke.

Maggie's jaw dropped. "Jack…"

"What?" Jack gave her an odd look, perfectly oblivious to the fact that his head had turned into a smokestack.

"Your head is on fire…" Maggie enunciated slowly.

Jack put a hand to his head and immediately retracted it. "Ow! Jeez, Caleb!" He slapped himself on the head to put the fire out.

Caleb's eyes were wide. "Oh! I'm so sorry!" He rummaged in his rucksack again, pulling out a bottle of Butterbeer he had been saving for later and pouring it all over Jack's head.

Jack glared at him as a large drop of the drink slid down his forehead. The fire finally put out, steam hissed as it rose into the air. "I'm gonna kill you, Caleb…"

"Uh-oh," Caleb squeaked as he backed away.

With a swish of black cloak, Snape stood in front of them, a fierce look in his eye. "And what is going on here?"

"Professor Snape! What a… lovely surprise!" Maggie jumped in front of the boys and flashed the professor her most charming smile.

Snape's lip curled and he glared at the trio. "What is going on here?" he repeated.

"Well, you see, Professor. I just sampled one of my Peppered Imps – they're so tasty. You should try one! You can buy them in Honeydukes for only three…" Caleb trailed off as he saw the look in the Potions Master's eyes.

"Oh, Merlin! What _is_ going on here?" Florence, who had followed Snape, gasped as she saw the state of Jack's once blonde hair.

"I think Snape's already covered that question," Caleb muttered under his breath, and then cowered under the Potions Master's glare.

"Whatever happened, this boy needs to go and see Madam Pomfrey immediately for hair re-growth," Florence continued with a meaningful side-glance at Severus. "I hope she has the correct potion in stock."

"Yes…" Snape glared at all three children again. "Now, come with me. Hurry up!" He swished off at great speed back towards the castle, Florence following.

"Well, it looks like Snape and Professor Findal are back together," Jack commented in a whisper.

"What?!" Maggie and Caleb looked at Jack in amazement. Snape turned his head and glared, making the trio look sheepish.

"You heard. They were rather lovey-dovey just then," Jack murmured.

"Yeah, as lovey-dovey as two frozen cockroaches." Maggie rolled her eyes.

Caleb looked shocked. "Oi! Don't call Professor Findal a cockroach! She's a lovely specimen of womanhood…"

"…that Snape has got his greasy mitts all over!" Jack finished quietly, with a mischievous grin. Caleb looked like he was going to be sick.

Maggie gave both boys a stern look. "Can we just leave this? It's getting obsessive."

"Obsessive?! About Snape? Yuk!"

"Yeah, my sentiments exactly."

A couple of steps ahead, Florence gave Snape a grin.

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After dropping a smouldering Jack Ivander and a clucking Maggie Millstone off at the Hospital wing, Florence and Severus headed dungeon-ward. Florence summoned marking from her office and rooms and they sat in the relative quiet of Severus' lab, just the sound of chopping ingredients, simmering cauldrons and the occasional crackle of a magical fire.

After several hours Severus started returning ladles to the hooks on the back wall of the lab. Florence looked up from her marking and raised an eyebrow.

"I'm going to leave this to simmer," he informed her.

Florence screwed the lids on her inkpots and gathered up the parchments she'd been marking and stopped her magical-test-marking quill half-way through some first year assessments.

"Have you done enough to keep Poppy happy?"  
"It will have to be enough. I'll take these to her now." He gestured to a small crate full of tiny vials, each neatly and individually labelled.

Florence loaded her ragbag up with the scrolls and quills and went to Severus' side. "Shall I go to the kitchens and get us a meal and some-?"

"Flo." He cut her off.

"What?"

"Are you sure about this? About wanting to be with me…? I just don't think I could stand it if I lost you again." He stepped toward her, holding her round her waist.

"Severus-"

"I mean, we had today; I don't think I've ever been so happy. If you aren't sure, I'll know we had a wonderful day together once. I just don't think we should start anything."  
Not wanting to be cut off again, Florence squeezed him in a tight hug. "You really are silly sometimes," she announced. "Of course I'm bloody sure."

Severus sighed loudly. "Oh, thank Merlin!" he exclaimed, squeezing her back with equal force.

When Florence was freed from Severus vice-like grip, she returned to her original thought. "Shall I go and get us something to eat?"

"That would be wise." Severus looked thoughtful. "I'll meet you upstairs."

"Um, Severus." Florence decided to tread on unfamiliar ground. "Can we stay down here? It's just, we always stay in my rooms and… well… why?"

Severus blinked. "I suppose I always assumed your rooms were more fit for human inhabitation."

Florence nodded. "Alright, I just didn't want it to be anything sinister."

"Sinister?" Severus raised one eyebrow.

"Like a wench under the bed, or medieval torturing devices…"

A second eyebrow joined the first and Florence giggled. "I'll see you in ten minutes," she promised, leaning in and kissing his cheek.

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Re-entering the dungeons, Florence was surprised when the door opened for her as she approached Severus' rooms. She smiled and went inside, oddly struck by the warmth. He had lit a fire, and there was new furniture; a sofa and coffee table were in front of the fire, and Severus was nowhere to be seen. She set down the generous basket of food the house elves had provided and noticed a rug under the coffee table. She smiled and sat down, still gawping around.

"You approve?" Severus said from behind her and she whipped round, seeing him coming out of the bathroom. He was in just his shirtsleeves, un-tucked and unkempt.

"Very much." Florence grinned.

Severus sat next to her. "Did they give you enough for five?" he asked, cynically, regarding the House Elves.

Florence sighed, "and some."

Opening the lid, she produced plums and grapes, a variety of cheeses and crackers, and an abundance of other things that seemed to keep appearing as though the basket were bottomless. She watched him as she did so. He carefully unbuttoned his cuffs and rolled up his sleeves. There was a certain manly efficiency to it.

"You lit the fire?"

"It appears so."

"For me?"

Severus looked at her and then away; she had made him uncomfortable. If he had done, he wouldn't want her pick up on it so Florence hastened to change the subject.

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The food eaten and the room now toasty warm, Florence led back and picked up one of Severus' potions' papers from the floor; she started to peruse it.

A while passed before she realised that he was led across her, snoozing, his head resting on her belly, one hand clutching a hip and the other hanging over the side of the sofa. Severus had looked tired for a long time, and the bottle of Sleeping Draft she had noticed next to his bed that morning had only certified things for her.

Dropping the paper on the floor, she watched him sleep for some time. She had never seen him look so relaxed and content before, not in all the time they had spent together. His lips were slightly parted and the frown lines that gouged his face were less pronounced. She felt a sense of huge relief that he was sleeping without help.

Minutes later he made a little sound and Florence felt a grin spread inexplicably across her face. She snuck her fingers round into his hair to stroke the soft skin behind his ear. The sound was repeated and he fondly nudged his chin into her belly. Florence smiled broadly. This was right; they belonged like this.

Driven by her rise of affection, Florence moved her attention to the back of his neck. The responding nudge was more desirous and dug hard into her stomach. She rubbed harder, sneaking her hand into his high collar.

He was dreaming, there was no doubt in her mind, and the shifts of his eyes beneath their closed lids confirmed it. The thought that he was likely dreaming of her sent happiness bubbling up through her. At least, she hoped he was.

Florence shifted beneath him and felt him hard against her leg. Eyebrows rising, she realised the sheer fervency of his behaviour. An unrepressed groan escaped him as Florence scratched ever so gently at the nape of his neck, and his hand twitched at her side. She moved again and he moved against her, unintentionally in slumber.

Making a decision, Florence gently shook him awake; as endearing as she found his responses, she knew that he would hate it if he were allowed to embarrass himself.

As he emerged from his delirium, Severus moaned into her, apparently still unaware of reality. Eventually he looked up at her grin-brightened face and groaned once more, only not with the ecstasy of the preceding ones. "I was asleep."

Florence nodded, despite it not being a question, and pushed his hair back off his face and behind his ears. He was slightly flushed and embarrassed, making her want to kiss him. She stroked over his lips, watching her thumb's progress all the way, aware all the time that both of their breathing patterns were quickening.

Severus enjoyed Florence's attention, his gaze held captive by her eyes as she watched; they were big and bright, her pupils huge. He wanted to crawl up her body, putting his hands in her clothes, feeling her warm all around him.

They lay there for some time, both lost in thought.

In the end, Severus bowed his head, burying his face back in her stomach. "I love you." The muffled words were hot through her clothes. He felt her belly contract in a silent giggle. "We shouldn't do this… not yet."

Florence sighed, still stroking his hair, and tried to sit up a little. He looked up at her and she nodded in agreement. She had wanted very much to get carried away in that moment, but she did still have a lot to come to terms with. It was Severus' turn to sigh, and Florence was sure that he had never looked so beautiful: relaxed, ever so slightly stubbly, the light of the fire on his face and the rosiness of arousal making him look more healthy.

Yesterday, Severus would never have believed things would be like this in just twenty-four hours. He hugged his arms around her and indulged himself one last time, rubbing his nose in her clothes, breathing her in, and working her blouse up a little so he could feel the warm skin around her navel.

Florence led back again, closing her eyes; she felt drowsy, warm and very much wanted. She almost allowed Severus attentions to lull her off to sleep, but long after he had stilled and gone back to resting, she caught herself on the brink.

"Come on, bed time." Florence announced with a yawn, sitting up fully. She just caught the flicker of fear that fell over Severus' eyes before he masked it.

She knew about that. He used to get that look after he had had a run of bad nights and she knew that, left to his own devices, he wouldn't even have gone to bed. He must have been having a dreadfully rough time of late.

Leaning over to hug him, Florence whispered; "I'll be here, if you'd rather take the sleeping draft."

He shook his head. "I'll take my chances."

Getting under the covers, not long after, Florence wriggled, making herself comfortable. The dungeon room seemed altogether more habitable tonight than it had last. She was sure that he'd aired the mattress and possibly used more than one warming charm. Last night, she had felt the need to go as far as conjuring a hot water bottle!

"Not long till Christmas," she said thoughtfully, and it seemed to Severus as though this thought had come from nowhere in particular.

There was a lengthy pause in which Florence wriggled some more, pulling the blankets up high under her chin. Severus watched her, enjoying the shifts of the mattress as she moved, he'd forgotten how comforting that could be during the night, the knowledge that she was there, and comfortable enough with him to sleep in his presence. Her words sinking in, he asked, "What would you like?"

Florence turned her neck so that she was looking at him. She hadn't considered it; she usually tried not to think too much about Christmas. She answered this with her only honest thought. "Just… Just to wake up with you. Have tea and toast in bed and make crumbs…" she continued, her eyes closing, she was too sleepy to keep them open. "To sit next to you at Christmas Dinner, and have Boxing Day in bed… eating and snoozing…"

Severus contemplated that Christmas had never sounded particularly good before that moment.

"What about you?" she asked, barely audibly, then yawned widely and silently.

Severus rolled over, laying his head on the pillow next to hers and draping his arm over her waist. "All those things… except perhaps the crumbs."

He saw her smile a little into the candlelight, "I'm sure we can negotiate the crumbs."

**THE END.**

Authors' Notes

**HUGE THANKS** to everyone who has supported us when we originally wrote this. Thanks to **Starlight**, **Tegan** , **Hopeful Writer, Becki, Kbear, Luna Wolf, Lyra Lupin, Polgara, Fiery Clover**, **Krusty****, Cygnus and Charlie**, Jen, lovable843, Nemesys, Dana, Pogo, Enfleurage, Indarae, Lyansidde, Profion, Sapphire, Alicia

We hope you have had as much fun reading this as we have had writing it!

2008 - We have added extra bits and re-posted some chapters. We would love to hear your feedback – **please leave a review if you have stopped by to read**.

Florence and Severus still have plenty of trials to go through, at least they do in our heads.

We have now started the long-awaited sequel to all our stories.

I (Martha) apologise for not having finished 'over the moon' yet, but a computer melt-down meant a lot of writing got lost and I've not had the motivation to do it all over. It will need to be finished soon though as Remus and April feature heavily in the sequel.

Lots of love,

Martha and Squirrel. xxx.

All your reviews were received with great joy!


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